That Was Then, This Is Now
by KatPeeta23
Summary: Two childhood friends, Peeta and Katniss, fall in love without knowing. When tragedy strikes they get separated, Peeta eleven and Katniss ten, not knowing whether one another is alive. When they meet again, it's Katniss and Johanna;s twenty third birthday. Katniss and Peeta rejoin and fall in love
1. Chapter 1

_**Then: Twelve years ago. September 11th, 2001**_

"_Peeta son, let's go or we'll be late to go see Katniss!" Dad calls from downstairs. My name is Peeta Mellark. I'm only eleven. My best friend, Katniss Everdeen, and her family are coming to New York City. Well, we already live here and so does she. She's only ten. _

_But she's coming with u, and he family, to see the concert today. We got a bus and everything. _

_We run outside and get in. My Uncle Jordan is a school bus driver. I'm bouncing, super excited to see Katniss. _

"_Are you excited, little bro?" My older brother Rye asks me. He's thirteen. My other brother, Graham, who is sixteen starts laughing. _

"_Little Peet's got the hots for Katniss!" He shouts. _

"_I do not!" I shout back. _

"_Boys, stop arguing! Peeta, it's not a bad thing to like Katniss. She's a lovely girl." Mama says. It's Tuesday and we're supposed to be in school but we're not going. _

_When we pull up in front of Katniss's house, she's standing on the curb. She's in a pretty little sundress. She runs back in the house to get her parents and little sister, and then they get on the bus. She walks right over to me and climbs over my lap. "I can have the window seat, right?" she asks, her gray eyes sparkling. Rye and Graham are snickering behind me. _

"_Of course." I smile and move to the edge of the seat. Katniss's Aunt and Uncle, Haymitch and Kari get on with their daughter Johanna, Katniss's cousin. Johanna moves to us and sits in the chair in front of us. _

"_Are you two together yet?" Johanna asks. _

"_Johanna Marie!" Katniss's Aunt Kari scolds. _

"_Sorry Mama! Just a valid question." Johanna sits down in front of us and plays on her father's phone. _

_When we get to Time's square, Katniss and Johanna take each other's hands. I'm forced to be with Rye and Graham. I lose sight of Katniss. _

_We all wander around. I'm stuck with my brothers and Katniss with her cousin. _

_Katniss and Johanna share the same birthday and they're both ten. They were born on the same day but they're not sisters. I think it's awesome. Katniss is forced to watch her six year old sister. _

_Suddenly, people begin screaming and running past us. I hear a deathly crash and people shouting. "Get Peeta! I'll find Mom and Dad!" Graham shouts. Rye picks me up and takes off running. I don't know what's going on, but I see smoke in the sky. The road is closed off. Another deathly crash hits my ears and then another stack of smoke. I can see in the distance that the twin towers are on fire. _

_Something flies at my arm and I black out. _

….a….

_**Now: May 8**__**th**__**, 2013**_

I wake in a cold sweat. I didn't dream that. I'm twenty three years old and live with my best friend Finnick Odair. I haven't seen Katniss since we were ten and the terrorist attack happened. I don't know if she's alive, or what happened to her family. All I know is I woke in the hospital a week later, and my whole family was in my room. the TV was on to the news where is showed the burnt down twin towers. I demand to know what happened to Katniss. Nobody knew. From that day forward, I was upset. I was upset until ninth grade, when I was fourteen and I met Finnick. I told him all about Katniss. I remember the day we met.

_Okay guys…it's September 11__th__! Time to go over the 9/11 footage! _

_I started crying when it began, because all I could think of was Katniss. The kid next to me with Bronze hair and sea green eyes elbowed me in the ribs and asked me what was wrong. _

From that day forward, we were best friends. He said he had the same experience with a girl named Annie. He had the exact same experience, and it was on the same day at the same place.

Now I'm twenty three years old. I live in New York City with Finnick in a two bedroom apartment.

And today is my least favorite day of the year, because today is Katniss and Johanna's twenty third birthday. I turn twenty four on October 11th. Finnick turns 24 on August 23rd.

I drag myself out of bed and force myself to get up.

…..s…..

"Come on Peeta, I'm not going to let you sit around depressed all day!" Finnick punches my arm. "Let's go to a bar or something!"

"I really don't want to…"

"Well I don't give a rats ass what you want! You're going! Get dressed, we leave in fifteen."

He has his own ways to drown himself in his sorrows. He just melts himself in work and friends. Which is me, because…and I'm not being rude when I say this, but Finnick doesn't have any other friends. He won't deal with any female. He's still a virgin. We're like the same people with different appearances, different names and similar families.

I pull on jeans a tee shirt after taking my shower and spray on some axe. I tie on my Nikes, grab my keys and phone and go outside. Finnick is already waiting in his car, impatiently, if I may add. He drives us to a popular bar, that we go to all the time, that somehow rings a bell. It's called _Jo Mason's drinks_

_I 'I' in 'drinks' _is a beer bottle and the dot in the is the cap to the bottle.

Finn pulls into the parking lot and practically drags me out of the car.

"I fucking hate you, you know that?" I grumble.

"Oh suck it, Mellark. You love me and you damn well know it." He drags me inside the bar. I recognize most of the people here, but he's not having it when I try to stall. He punches my arm as hard as he can. "Stop being a pussy Mellark!" He says. Some glasses shatter.

"I really should be at work." I try again.

"Peeta, I swear to god, if you don't shut up, I'm going to tell your mother your still being a pussy and she's going to kick your ass."

"My mother is not going to kick my ass." Finnick completely ignores me and orders both of us a beer, sitting down on the bar stool. I don't drink it, I just hold it.

"Seriously Peeta? Your twenty three fucking years old! Stop being a little toddler and drink the fucking beer-"

That's when I see her. The beer slips from my hand and shatters on the floor.

Jo Mason stands for Johanna Marie Mason. They're at Johanna's bar and they're celebrating Johanna and Katniss's twenty third birthday.

"What bro?" Finnick turns around and does a double take, his beer falling too. "Annie. Peeta it's Annie!"

"It's Katniss, too." I whisper.

"Oh shit! I'm not good with the ladies! What do I do?"

I shrug and get up.

"Me either, but I don't care. I'm not letting her get away from me this time." I walk over to Katniss and tap her shoulder, stuffing my hands in my pockets. She turns around and her smile falls from her face and goes to a look of pure shock. Finn joins me, making the girl that I know is Annie get the same look at Katniss.

"Shit! Katniss, Annie, it's your soon-to-be husbands!" Johanna claps both of them on the back.

"Peeta?" Katniss whispers.

"Katniss." I say.

"Oh my god, oh my god! Oh shit! It's you! Your alive!' she wraps her tiny arms around me and hug me. I hug her back. She starts crying, hysterically. Annie is too, and she's hugging Finnick. "I'm s-s-so sorry! I'm t-t-trying n-not to cry!" Katniss chokes out. I laugh a little and pull her out of the bar.

"I'll bring your cousin back in a bit, Johanna." Johanna shrugs and walks off. I pull Katniss out of the bar and down the street. She doesn't let go of my hand.

"Peeta?" she asks after a while of silence, of my mind racing. I didn't even realize she's stopped crying. "What happened to you?"

"I don't really remember…I remember the towers getting hit by the planes. I remember Rye picking me up. I remember getting burned. Then I woke up in a hospital a week later and…that's it, really."

"And your family?" she whispers.

"They're alive. They're all alive." I say. "What about you? hm? What happened to you?"

"Did you stay in New York?" she whispers.

"No…we moved to California." I say.

"Well…with us…Prim, Johanna and I got abandoned. Our parents and family were forced to leave and we got take to an adoption center. We thought they all died. We stayed in the foster home till we were eighteen and then I took Prim in and we went to search our parents and found out our family lived in Kentucky. We went there and… they were there…Johanna, Annie and we were all foster children for the same reason and we found our families. We live in a three bedroom apartment and tomorrow Johanna and I are going to see our family with Annie." Katniss admits.

"A foster home?" I whisper. She shrugs.

"The lady who was in charge…Effie, she's like my second Mama. I still see her all the time…but Prim lives with Mama and Dad in Kentucky…Peeta…I thought you died."

"I thought you died, too." I whisper. "And Katniss? Happy Birthday." She smiles.

"I can't believe you remember my birthday." Her cheeks start to get red.

"Your twenty third birthday, to be exact. You and Johanna's." I lean against the wall and she stands in front of me.

"You know I used to have a really bad crush on you, right?" she whispers.

"You know I used to have a really, really bad crush on you, too, right?" I whisper. Used to is a lie. I still love this girl. She looks stunning in her skintight black dress.

"Used to?" she whispers. I stare at her. She takes a step closer. "I just lied to you, Peeta. I still have more than just a crush on you." she whispers.

"I lied to you, too." I whisper. I've never even kissed a girl. I've definitely never had sex. I've never wanted to kiss a girl. She stares at me and I stare at her. She moves two steps closer to me, so her chest is pressed against mine.

"Peeta," she whispers.

"Hm?" I whisper.

"Come with Me and Johanna and Annie to my parents. Annie's probably going to invite Finnick." She whispers.

"You want me to come with you?" I whisper.

"Desperately." She mumbles.

"Okay…I'll come." I whisper. "How long?"

"Till next Saturday," She walks off and I follow her, calling my boss as I check out her ass. I don't care if she catches me looking. I've been in love with this girl since I was five years old and I'm not about to let her out of my sight. I dial my boss and tell him I need some time off. He's a family friend. His name is Boggs. He agrees and hangs up. I rush forward and hold the door open for her. She walks in and I follow her. Finnick with Annie and when he sees me walk in, he waves me over. Katniss follows me to Finnick.

"Katniss, this is Finnick." Annie says.

"I've heard so much about you, Finnick." Katniss smiles, "Annie, this is Peeta."

"Hi Peeta," Annie shakes my hand.

"So…Did you invite Peeta?" Annie demands.

"Did you invite Finnick?" Katniss asks back with a gentle smile.

"I did." Annie looks at Finnick and Finnick looks at Annie. They're so in love.

"So…what do you do for a living?" I ask Katniss, ordering a soda, not a beer. She does the same, and leans against the counter.

"Well…I'm…you won't believe this, but I teach the eighth grade at Tompkins Square Middle School." She says. I raise my eyebrows. "I know, I know…you were probably expecting me to be a stripper or some whore. Well guess what, that's not me. Don't even bother thinking that." She says.

"Whoa, I did not think of you being a stripper. I was thinking of maybe…a business women in one of those skirts or something." I take her hand.

"Sorry…I've just heard the stripper thing too many times and it presses a button every time someone asks me what I do. What about you, though, Mr. Model, what do you do for a living?" I spit my soda on the floor and burst out laughing, causing her to smile.

"A Model? You think I'm a model!" I smile.

"Probably an underwear model, I'll bet they use you all the time." She holds my hand up straight in the air and measures the space with her hands. "What do you say Annie, do you think Peeta is an underwear model?" I laugh as Annie turns around. She starts to laugh, nodding her head.

"Yes! Not boxers though…boxer briefs maybe. No, they want the tight stuff." Finnick starts laugh.

"Well, if you must know, I am not a model. I'm a business guy."

"Oh, so you wear those sexy slacks and buttons ups? Or is it those short skirts?" She leans closer to me. She's in a skintight black dress that barely covers her chest and her ass. She doesn't have any makeup on but she still looks stunning.

"Maybe I wear both of them." I whisper. He lips are a hairline from mine, and I know she isn't drunk because her breath smells of mints and mints only.

Johanna is watching us with some guy, Finnick and Annie are watching us, too.

"Or maybe…you should wear nothing." She whispers. She backs up and smirks at me. I see Johanna roll her eyes and start making out with the guy she's with.

"Is that her fuck buddy?" I ask.

"That's her boyfriend of five years." Katniss replies. "He treats her like royalty and I have no problem with him."

"Oh…so are you going to tell me who your first boyfriend was?" I whisper. She rolls her eyes.

"I don't _date._ I'm still a _virgin_. And I've never _kissed_." She says. "What about you, Mr. Model. Who was your first everything?"

"I haven't had a first anything." I admit.

"Are you sure? Underwear models have most definitely had sex." She whispers. She pulls her phone out of Annie's purse and is silent for a moment. She slides it to me. It's open to a new contact and the name is Mr. Underwear Model. I type in my number and call my phone. Then I add her as "Sexy Business Women"

"Now smile for a camera or pose or something so I can set your picture."

"Well I have to fit my name." she says. I show her what I put her in as. She stands up and puts a really sexy look on her face and faces the fan. I take the picture and show it to her. She laughs and sets it.

"I would set someone in their underwear as your picture, but the last thing I need is for you to call me when I'm at work, so just smile like a good little boy." She takes a picture and I just smile. At the last second, she flicks me off, making me start laughing. She takes the picture and sets it. "There we go! Now give me Finn's number and I'll give you Annies." She says.

"Finn?" I repeat.

"Finnick!" she exclaims.

"What?" Finnick demands.

"I'm not talking to you." Katniss says. I roll my eyes and give Katniss's Finnick's number. She gives me Annie, and then we join Finnick and Annie's conversation.


	2. Chapter 2

I feel a weight on my arm and wake up, confused.

Katniss is laying in my bed, asleep, nuzzled into my side.

Okay, I know that her, Johanna and Annie slept over because we're leaving at six in the morning, but this is more than I bargained for.

Annie said that her parents and family died in 9/11. Katniss and Johanna's family treat her as if Mrs. Everdeen and Mr. Everdeen are Annie's parents. They know everything about Finnick. Katniss didn't let anyone tell anyone that we're coming with them. They want to be surprised, apparently.

I distinctly remember moving to my bed last night after Katniss fell asleep on my shoulder on the couch. I remember covering her with a fluffy white throw blanket. I remember her smiling a little in her sleep, I remember plugging her phone_ and _her iPad in to charge.

What I do not remember, is her joining me in my bed. We got back from the bar around eleven, and at eleventh thirty, Annie, Johanna and Katniss got here. We watched a movie that ended at one and then went to bed. Katniss fell asleep halfway through the movie. Did she move in here during the night or was I so tired that I forgot that she got up and followed me to bed? I'm going to stick with the first one.

My eyes flit to the clock and see it's only three.

I've only been in bed for about two hours. We've still got another hour before we have to get up.

I watch her peaceful face as she sleeps. Her tongue occasionally darts out to lick her lips, and after a couple moments, I see her lips start to bleed. She's got chapped lips. I reach into my nightstand, careful not to wake her and grab that stupid Chap Stick my mother sneaks in my drawer each time she comes over for the holidays. She even writes in sharpie '_you can thank me later!'_ on it.

I carefully coat Katniss's lips in the Chap Stick and put it away before she can wake. She sighs in her sleep and I smile, drifting off soon after her.

….s….

Of course I'm the only one that set the alarm! I always get irritated when my alarm goes off. I pick it up and hurl it at the wall, running my hands over my face. Katniss is awake, sitting up, staring at me.

"I fucking hate that shit ass alarm!" I shout. I hear Finnick's tired laughter from his bedroom and then he walks into my bedroom, not shocked that Katniss is in my bed. Annie is right behind him, Blight and Johanna. It's still beeping. I throw it out the open window and watch it shatter. I always sleep with my window open. Even in blizzards. Blight is Johanna's boyfriend.

"How many is that now? Let me check the tally!" Finnick jogs to the kitchen. "That's eighteen now, bro! I think you need to get a life supply of those damn things." Finnick says.

"Remind me never to wake you up." Katniss lays back down and pulls the covers over her head.

I start ripping apart drawers and get jeans and another tee shirt for a shower, and some boxers before walking off to the bathroom and shutting the door.

I turn on the water and lock the door, stripping naked and getting under the hot spray. I wash my hair and body and get out, drying myself off and getting dressed. I shake my head to get some water off, and dry my hair with a towel, and then toss it on the floor and walk out.

"I'm going to take a shower." Katniss announces. Everyone is still in my bedroom and I'm the only one that's actually gotten ready. She moves towards the bathroom and then turns back to face me. "What the hell is this? You slob! This is disgusting Peeta! If your mother saw this she'd make you into a pie! Clean this shit up!"

"It's hardly anything." I sigh.

"Underwear and shirts and jeans and towels all over the floor! Oh my god, spend a week with Effie." She shakes her head in disgust. "You can come get me when this…this thing you call a bathroom is clean." She walks away. Finn looks like he's trying not to laugh, and so does Blight. Annie just walks away. Johanna snorts and walks off after rolling her eyes.

Well I don't want Katniss to be mad at me…

I go in there and pick up clothes.

"Hey Finnick! I found your pet mouse!" I exclaim.

"You found Mike?" Finnick demands. "Whoa, that's not Mike bro, that thing is black. Mike was white." Finn backs up. I grab the mouse by the tail and walk into the kitchen where the girls are.

"Oh my god Peeta! That's disgusting!" Katniss exclaims.

"I'll go throw it out the window." She rolls her eyes and I think she thinks I'm kidding. I walk to my bedroom and toss the mouse out.

"Peeta! You hurt him!" Annie whines. She rushes out of the house and sees that the mouse is gone. Katniss goes into my bathroom and sprays a ton of disinfectants before getting a clean towel from the laundry room and slamming the bathroom door behind her.

I head off and make breakfast, setting the table and moving back to my bedroom. I start to pack last minute things, having packed my suitcase in the thirty minutes before the girls got here last night. The water shuts off. After I hear Katniss sigh three times, she walks out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel. She avoids my eye as she walks off to the living room. She comes back with jeans, underwear, a bra and a tee shirt. She goes back into the bathroom and leaves the door open a crack on accident. I can see in the mirror, but I'm not like that. When he drops her towel, I see her back and look away. I don't want to see any part of her until she wants me to. I was raised better than that.

I finish packing last minute things when she comes out of the bathroom. She left the place spotless without even a drip of water on the floor.

Unbelievable.

….s….

While on the plane, Katniss plays Where's my Water 2 on her iPad while listening to music. She's stuck on a level. I slowly reach over and restart the level. She watches me as I beat the level for her. She pulls out one earbud and slides her iPad on my lap and then leans her head on my shoulder and watches me play.

When we land, we get in her white Ford F – series. She's so sexy driving her truck. I watch as forest pass by. I've never been to Kentucky and I've never seen a real forest before.

Katniss pulls in the driveway of a white two story house that looks homey and I can definitely see her parents living here.

She leaves her luggage in the trunk and gets out, not locking the car. She runs a hand through hair hair and walks up the porch.

**KATNISS'S POV**

I'm nervous to see my parent's reaction to Finnick and Peeta.

"Katniss," Prim jumps up and hugs me, pulling me in the house to greet my family. I haven't seen them in six months; since Christmas. Annie and Johanna start to greet everyone, my grandparents and everyone. There isn't a person in this room that won't recognize Peeta, except maybe Prim. She only knew him for six years, but I think it'll trigger some type of memory. I can hear Peeta and Finnick whispering to one another, arguing about who is going to go inside first.

They're like toddlers.

**PEETA'S POV**

Katniss sticks her head out the door and raises his eyebrows. We cut off our quiet bickering. "How about you both come in at the same time instead of fighting about it." She laughs and grabs both of our hands, pulling us into the house and shutting the door.

"You have a boyfriend Katniss, oh my goodness!" as girl I recognize as Prim claps her hands. "I set you up with Gale Hawthorne but…never mind." Prim then grows confused at everyone shocked expressions. I see her eyes flit to the wall, where a picture of a day I remember well; my tenth birthday party.

_Would you two stop fidgeting, just sit in the meadow and smile like good children!" Mama shouts at us. We do as she says. Katniss and I stare into each other's eyes, the sun peeking through the background. _

"_This is going on my wall!" Mrs. Everdeen exclaims. _

I can tell by the way that we're looking at one another, into each other's eyes, the sun blocking out our faces and making us look like shadows except for Katniss's white sundress, we were in love, even back then. The purple flowers are surrounding us, and Katniss is smiling. Katniss, the current Katniss, follows me gaze and smiles.

"Wait…your…your him! Your that boy in the picture!" Prim exclaims.

"Last time I saw you, you were six years old. You were this tall!" I hold my hand out to how tall Prim was. "Peeta! Oh my goodness! You're him! You're alive! We didn't know, but we thought you guys died! How is your family? Did they make it out okay?" Mrs. Everdeen hugs me.

"They're great. We moved to California…we didn't know if you guys were alive either." I say.

"Oh my, look at you! You're so tall, so grown!"

They all start to obsess over me, and Katniss mouths a '_sorry' _to me. I just shrug.

Twenty minutes later, they're ordering me to call my mother.

"Peeta, how are you son?" mama asks.

"I'm good Mama," I say. "So you wanna hear a story?" I ask.

"Is it a real story?" Mama asks.

"Yes. Hey, can you gather up Rye and Graham and Dad? It's really important." I say.

"Sure honey." Five minutes later, I'm on speaker phone. I can hear Graham and is girlfriend and Rye and Mama and Dad talking.

"What is it son? Where are you? Are you at home?" Dad asks.

"Not exactly…I'm in Kentucky…with a girl." Katniss leans against the wall and watches me.

"A girl?" Rye asks. I can practically see him elbowing Graham.

"A real girl, one that breathes oxygen, a hot one, or your imaginary friend?" Graham asks. I sigh.

"A real female that breathes are and smiles and laughs and talks." I say, slightly irritated.

"And you're sure you're not dreaming?" Rye snickers.

"I'm positive." I snap.

"Okay Peeta, what is this girls name?" Mama asks.

"Well…her mother's name is Lillian, her father's name is Jacob…her sisters name is Prim, her cousin is Johanna and the girl herself is _Katniss_."

"Katniss? Katniss Everdeen?" I can hear excitement in my mother's voice.

"Yes. And I'm here with her family-"

"Give us her address and everything, please." Dad demands. Katniss tells me the address and I tell them, and I can't even say goodbye before the line goes dead.


	3. Chapter 3

"Peeta, please Peeta wake up." Katniss's worried voice startles me awake. I have to share a bed with Finnick, which doesn't bother me. She's standing at my bedside in panties and a thin white tank top without a bra on underneath. I squint at her through the darkness and I see tears are sliding down her cheeks. "Peeta," she whimpers, tugging my hand.  
"What is it, what's wrong?" I ask, alarmed. She starts to cry harder, trying to stay quiet.  
"Come here. Please Peeta, I need you." She pulls me up and out of my bed. I'm only in sweats. She leads me down the hall and into another room, her room. She shuts the door and then hugs me.  
I can't help but notice that the fact that she has no bra on underneath her tank top. I hug her back, confused. The blankets are on the floor. She lazily remakes the bed and pushes me down on it. She lays down next to me. She's calmed down slightly but her cheeks are tear stained and she's sweating.  
"You know you have no pants on right?" I whisper.  
"Do you want to me put pants and a bra on?" She mumbles. "Be honest, Peeta. I wish you didn't have on your pants, if that helps you tell the truth. I smile a little.  
"You don't have to get dressed Katniss, now what's wrong?"

KATNISS'S POV

I have nightmares every single night. I watch him die in the fires from 9/11. Either I wake screaming or I'm soaked in sweat and I'm crying. Last night I woke sweating, which was why I moved to his bed. Tonight was the same. I need to feel him.

PEETA'S POV

She puts her hand on my chest and stares intensely at me.  
"Do you love me as more than a friend or sister, Peeta?" She whispers weakling. I stare at her for a long time.  
I always have. I never understood as I kid why I always wanted to be around her, but now I do. I'm in love with this girl. I always was.  
I can see pain in her eyes as she stares at me.  
"Yes." I whisper.  
"You do?" She whispers.  
"Yes." I repeat.  
"I love you too, Peeta." She stands up and walks over to the door, locking it before coming back to bed. She lays down directly on top of me and tangles her fingers in my hair. I out my hands on the small of her back, my pinkies on the waistband of her panties. "Did I ever tell you how much I love your eyes?" She whispers, staring at me with suck an intensity that it's overwhelming.  
"No." I whisper.  
"Well...they're quite beautiful." She whispers. "Like...sapphire mixed with...with green. With sea green."  
"Really?" I raise my eyebrows and she smiles and nods.  
"Yes." Her fingers trace my lips. Her touch leaves a burn that feels incredible. Her eyes go from ashy gray to a really bad storm.  
"Can I kiss you?" She whispers. I nod dumbly. She slides farther up my chest and hesitantly presses her lips to mine.  
My first kiss is even more than I imagined it would be. Her lips are soft and smooth and warm. Her breath tastes like mints and a fire spreads throughout my body and I'm suddenly very aware that there is two thin pieces of clothing covering both of us from behind completely naked.  
She must remember this too, because she slowly pulls away.  
"Every night since we were separated," she begins "I have this nightmare where you die. Either I wake screaming your name, or I'm in a cold sweat and I'm crying. Last night was the cold, which is why I went in your room. Tonight was the cold sweat, too. It always makes me panic. That's why I come to you." She whispers. "And I do love you. I think I always did." She whispers. I like this Katniss. The vulnerable one, who admits all her feelings late at night. She's still on top of me. She ends up drifting off on my chest.

...&...

I wake up to movement on my chest and then a light weight disappears. I peek open an eye and see her pulling on pajama pants and, with her back turned, pulling off her tank top and putting a bra on before putting her tank top back on. Everyone is awake downstairs.  
"I know your watching me get dressed like some stalker," she says before turning around to face me. I shrug and get up, stretching. "Do you remember last night?" She whispers. Yes. We kissed last night. She stares at me, waiting for me answer.  
"Yes."  
"Do you regret it?" She whispers.  
"Do you?" I ask.  
"I'm serious." She says.  
"So am I." I reply. She takes a deep breath and shakes her head.  
"No."  
"Me either."  
"So...what happens now?" She whispers.  
"What do you want to have happen now?" I ask. She just shrugs.  
"Time will tell." She replies before brushing past me on her way downstairs.

...&...

We've just finished dinner when I hear a loud knock on the door. Katniss gets up and gets the door, and to my utter surprise, my parents and brothers walk into the house, Graham's new girlfriend on his arm. Or Graham's new whore.  
My parents start obsessing over Katniss and then everyone starts obsessing over everyone. Katniss eventually sits down and drops her legs on mine.  
Everyone begins to talk about random stuff. Katniss and I are occasionally questioned, but thats it, really.  
We start a movie called Friends with Benefits. None of us know what it's about, exactly.  
And then they start having sex. Katniss slowly removes her legs from my lap.  
Mrs. Everdeen quickly shuts off the TV, her eyes flicking to the children from my family.  
Nobody knows how to explain this, but Katniss, who has told me taught kindergarten before, instantly comes up with an excuse.  
"When two people love each other very much, they touch one another." She explains, poking my cheek. "And they lick each other." She licks my hand. "And sometimes they wrestle." She admits.  
"Why?" My little cousin who is only six asks. Her name is Megan. She's Aunt Lauren's oldest. Then there's Alexis and Katherine. They're only four. That's the only kids here that don't know what was actually going on. "Why Katniss?" Megan demands. Katniss sits up all the way.  
"Because it's fun." She says.  
"You and Peeta love each other. Why don't you wrestle and lick each other?" Megan asks. Katniss just shrugs and sits back, her legs dropping back to my legs.  
"Because I'm tired." She replies.  
"Me too." Katherine admits. The three girls lay down in the floor. Aunt Lauren mouths a "thank you" to Katniss and she just shrugs in reply.  
We change the movie to The Sandlot.  
After a half hour of this, Alexis stands up and climbs onto Katniss's lap, laying down and falling asleep. Katniss falls asleep soon afterwards.

...2...

My family is not planning on leaving any time soon. I know this because the weeks flies by and they're still these when I walk into my apartment without Katniss or anyone but Finn. We both pass out on the beds.  
I'm woken late at night to the sound of my bedroom door softly shutting.  
"Can I spend the night?" Katniss whispers.  
"How did you get in?" I mumble.  
"I picked the lock." She admits. I can tell she had a nightmare. She has to work in the morning. It's Sunday, May 12th. "So can I?" She asks. I nod and scoot over. She climbs in my bed and curls into my side. I pull her close and sigh. She smells incredible. I decide to rely on her alarm because her class starts at nine thirty and she gets there at eight thirty. She teaches Math. Pre-Algebra, to be exact.  
I found out though that her lunch break is forty five minutes long and mine is an hour and a half. Mine starts at twelve and ends at one thirty and hers starts at twelve fifteen and ends at one. She has second lunch and I know people will be in there for the study group. I've got a ton of information out of her. No study groups today though because she has to teach first. She's finishing up equations.  
I drift off soon enough.

...9...

"You get Peeta, I'm gonna find Mama and Dad!" Graham shouts. He disappears in the crowd as Rye picks me up and runs. I see her dark hair, Prim's blond hair and Johanna's short dark hair. I see the man come out of nowhere and grab her. I start screaming as she gets beaten. I hear her cries of pain.  
Her eyes start to close and I desperately beg her, shouting for her to get up. "Please Katniss!" I shout, crying. She doesn't move. Rye sets me down and everyone except for her disappears. I stumble over to her and check for a pulse, for any signs of life.  
I find none. She is dead.

...8...

I sit bolt upright, drenched in sweat and gasping.  
"Peeta?" Her voice is laced with tiredness. I look at her and see she's perfectly fine. I see the rise and fall of her chest and lay back down. "Peeta, are you okay?" She whispers, throwing her leg over me and sitting on my stomach. I run my hands over my sweat soaked face.  
"I'm fine, now." I answer. It's not a lie, because when I saw she was awake, my heart rate calmed and I was fine. She puts her hands on my shoulders and pulls me so I'm sitting up. Her body slides down so she's on my thighs and then she pulls my head against her shoulder and runs her fingers through my hair.  
"You had a nightmare, didn't you?" She mumbles.  
"Yes," I whisper. She releases me and pushes me so I'm laying down. Then she lies next to me and burrows herself in my chest.

... ...

I had trouble falling asleep after that. It took me nearly an hour, and she didn't move the whole time.  
Her alarm begins to blare, waking both of us. She shuts it off and burrows back into my chest. "I don't want to go to work. I want to stay here with you until I die." She whispers.  
"You can come over after work. I get home by three." I whisper.  
"School doesn't let out until four fifteen and then I have papers to grade." She moans.  
"Bring them here." I whisper.  
"Or...or you can come to my work at three and we can say your my assistant. And then you can help me grade papers." She whispers. I can tell that she really wants me to.  
"Eh...we'll see what happens, Katniss, okay?" I whisper. She sighs and nods, standing up and stretching.

...9...

I only said we'll see what happens because I want her to think I'm not coming. But it's three fifteen and I'm at home changing into jeans but keeping on my white button up shirt. I drive to her school and walk inside.  
"How may I help you?" The secretary asks. I see the name on her name take is "Halie"  
"Yes hi, I'm here to see K-I mean...Ms. Everdeen." I say. She narrows her eyes.  
"What's your name?" She demands.  
"Peeta Mellark." I reply.  
"Is she your girlfriend?" She demands to know.  
"No."  
"Fiancé?" She asks.  
"No."  
"Wife?"  
"No...I'm not in a relationship with her..." I trail off.  
"Well..." She puts a visitors sticker on my shirt. "She's in room 268, upstairs." She says.  
"Thank you," I'm halfway out of the office when she stops me. "And just letting you know...I'm single." I hid my shock as I give a small nod and walk off. I manage to find the stairs and walk down the hall, passing a few students. "Do you need help?" Someone asks me. "I'm Caitlin." She smiles.  
"Yeah, where is Ms. Everdeen?" I ask. At the mention of Katniss, her eyes light up.  
"That's my favorite teacher!" She exclaims. "Here, I'll show you." She leads me in the opposite direction that I was going. "Is she your girlfriend?" Caitlin asks.  
"No, she's my best friend." I say.  
"Oh, well that's her room right there. Can you tell her Caitlin Morro said hi?" She asks.  
"Of course." I say. The girl walks off. I peek in the room and see Katniss in the front.  
I don't know what to do...I knock on the door and she doesn't notice me at first because she's in mid sentence.  
"-And make sure to study for your test on Thursday." She looks at me and I see her eyes widen slightly from shock. Her students are peering curiously at us. "Peeta," she whispers, smiling a little. "I didn't think you were going to come." I shrug. She steps out of my way and allows me into the room.  
"Is that your boyfriend?" A girl blurts. "Ms. Everdeen, is that your boyfriend?" Everyone starts to blabber about her having a boyfriend, and I laugh a little. Katniss puts her hand on my arm and leads me to her desk. She drops a stack on papers in front of me as hands me a pen and a sheet with the correct answers.  
"Grade it, please." She says. She goes back to the front of the class.  
"Okay, alright! No, Peeta is not my boyfriend, he is not my fiancé, he's not my husband. He is my best friend, that's it." She says. Everyone goes silent and then a guy raises his hand. "Yes Alex?" She asks.  
"Are you friends with benefits?" He demands. I start choking on nothing and then start laughing, dropping my head on her desk. Katniss's face is bright red from shock and embarrassment when I manage to compose myself.  
"Uh..." She's panicking. I stand up, because I need a pen and move to the front of the classroom.  
"No, Katniss and I are friends. Just friends, no more, no less." I say as I pass Katniss to another table she has at the front. I take her pen and pass her.  
She goes back to her lesson, which I know is on equations. I half grade papers, half watch her teach. She occasionally will look at me and I see her hiding a smile. "Okay, now go to page six on your workbooks and do numbers 11-24 for the rest of the period." Katniss writes down page six on to he numbers they do on the white board and then walks over to me, pulling another chair with her and dropping down on it. She sees I've only done one book and sighs.  
"You were watching me the whole time, weren't you?" She whispers under her breath.  
"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't." I whisper. She rolls her eyes and starts to grade papers. I join her eventually. After two pages, she memorizes the answers and starts grading. This is a test.  
Her hand freezes and she stares at a test booklet. I look down at her to see she has a zero in red ink on the page for a kid named Olive Pother. She looks up at a girl with brown hair who looks frustrated. She looks like she's about to cry. Katniss rises.  
"Olive?" She asks. The girl is crying when she looks up. "Come here," Katniss waves her forward. The girl rises and walks over to Katniss. Katniss walks over to her desk and gets her pencil and her workbook and then she pulls a chair up next to her and sits her down and helps her.  
I keep grading papers, and soon enough, I've got it memorized too. I finish then and put the final grades, set the pen down and sit back. I begin to look through her drawers and grab a piece of printer paper and start to draw 9/11. I always do this because it's how I deal with it. This was twelve or so years ago, but it helps me let out my emotions. I draw the fire, I draw Graham running off while everyone runs forward. I draw Rye carrying me away.  
I feel a hand on my arm and look up to see Katniss. The room is empty and her eyes are twinkling with tears.  
"I'm sorry," I whisper, crumbling the paper in a ball and tossing it in the garbage. "Where is everyone?" I ask.  
"They're coming. The period just ended. They should be here in a minute." She rubs her eyes, which are slightly red. I stand up and hug her.  
"I didn't mean to make you cry." I whisper.  
"It's okay. Don't apologize, you didn't make me cry."

...&...

I stay with her until seven. We go out to dinner and join hands, just walking around the city.  
She treats me as if I'm her boyfriend. She sleeps in my bed, she makes me clean, she kisses my cheek, she tells me she loves me, she holds my hand. She treats me like her husband or something. She hugs me too. I love every minute of it and I never want it to stop.  
"What if we were?" She blurts. It's dark out and we're walking through the city.  
"If we were what?" I ask.  
She shakes her head. "Never mind, just pretend I didn't say anything." She whispers. We're heading towards her apartment. "It was stupid anyways." She mumbles. I stop walking and turn to face her. She avoids my eye contact and she looks frustrated.

KATNISS'S POV

I want him to ask me to be his girlfriend so bad. Johanna and Annie won't let me ask him myself.  
I'm frustrated because I want to be able to kiss him whenever I want to and for us to have a title.


	4. Chapter 4

**PEETA'S POV**

"Katniss, what is it?" I ask. I take her face in my hands and make her looks at me.

She stares into my eyes for a long time. "Nothing," she mumbles.

"Katniss, please…tell me. You can tell me anything, you know that, right?" I ask her.

She shrugs. "I know…but I'm not telling you this. I want you to figure this out. Now I'm going home…I'll see you when I see you, I guess." she looks upset.

"Katniss, wait-" she's already getting in a taxi. I sigh and debate about going over there, and then think better of it and head home.

….s…

"What's up bro? What's wrong?" Finnick gets home from work at eleven. He's a manager at a café and he closed tonight.

"Nothing." I snap. He raises his eyebrows.

"Peet? What's up dude?" I know he's not having it.

"It's Katniss! She's pissed at me and I don't even know what I did!" I exclaim.

"What happened?" he asks, sitting down across from me. I sigh and shut off the TV.

"I went to see her at work and everyone was asking if we were dating or engaged or married. I hepped her grade papers till seven something, we walked around the city and then went out to dinner around nine. She had been acting weird and refused to tell me what was wrong. I told her she could tell me anything and she said 'I know…but I'm not telling you this. Now I'm going home…I'll see you when I see you, I guess.' And I tried to stop her but she got in a taxi and was gone." Finn lets out a puff of air and sits up, resting his elbows on her thighs and clasping his hands together. I mirror his position.

"Peet, I don't know shit about girls, but it seems that Katniss is upset about something…like she's wanting you to do something. When did she start acting weird?"

"When I showed up at her work." I instantly reply.

"Before or after the kids bitched and moaned about you tow dating or being in a relationship?" he asks.

"After…" I trail off. He exhales and runs a hand through his hair.

"She wants you to ask her to be her girlfriend. She started acting weird because she wants what the kids said. I guess it had been bugging her since that happened…it made her snap and then she left…now…I don't mean to worry you, but Annie said she came in the door hysterical and refused to tell them what happened-" Johanna storms into our apartment just then.

"You two…we need your help. Brainless locked herself in the bedroom and we picked the lock but the door won't budge. She barricaded it…and she's crying."

Finnick's right. I wanted to ask her out since before we kissed but…I thought she thought we were moving too fast…it has only been a week and like three days, after all…

Finnick and I rise and follow Johanna to her apartment.

"Get her out of the room! Please! She won't eat or anything and she's barricaded the door." Annie's panicked.

"Will she talk to you?" I ask. They both shake their heads.

Easy…I can get her out…its mean, but…I need to get her out.

"Katniss!" I walk over to the door and rap on it. "Prim got in a car accident and she's in a coma…" I hear a long pause, and then a scraping noise and the door opens. She's been crying…hard.

"What?" her eyes are panicked. "Are you lying?" she starts, backing up, but Johanna shoots forward and grab her arm, pulling her out of her bedroom.

"I can't believe I didn't think of that." Annie says.

"Leave me alone!" Katniss fights Johanna, and then punches her in the face and bolts for her bedroom.

KATNISS'S POV

I'm so frustrated. I don't understand. He said he loved me. I don't know how to handle my emotions right now.

Everyone stares at me. It's almost one in the morning.

My phone starts vibrating on the coffee table. I stare blankly it and sigh loudly when I see it's Prim.

"What?" I ask.

"Hey Katniss - wait…have you been crying?" She demands.

"Yes, that's not important. Why are you calling me at one in the morning?" I ask.

"Why are you crying at one in the morning?" she demands.

"It's not important-"

"Are you pregnant, Katniss?" she blurts.

"What! Hell no!"

"Okay…just asking…why are you crying?" She demands.

"I'm going to hang up on you." I warn.

"Fine…so…in five months…" she hesitates. "You're going to have a niece or nephew to babysit." She admits.

"What?" I ask dumbly.

"I'm pregnant Katniss, four months."

"But…but…I just saw you! You are not-"

"I was wearing baggy clothing, Katniss. I'm pregnant and I'm moving in with Alex in New York City this weekend."

"Is this a joke?" I demand.

"No."

…..s…..

I completely ignore Peeta, even though it's killing me not seeing him. It's Saturday morning and I'm standing in the kitchen in a flowing sea foam green loose tee shirt and white jean short shorts and my sea foam green vans. Annie and Johanna are at work. They got pissed at me when I told them why I flipped out and they're not talking to me until I grow up and talk to Peeta again. My hair is flowing down my back in waves.

I hear the front door slam and I don't say anything because I'm expecting it to be Annie. She literally just walked out the door. She probably forgot something.

But someone terrifies me by coming up behind me and pushing me against the cold refrigerator and kissing me furiously. I almost shove the person, but the burning sensation I felt when I kissed Peeta boils inside me, my whole body igniting in flame and desire. The scent of cinnamon and axe overwhelms me and I know who this is.

And I'm not going to shove him because it's been four days since I've seen him. Four days of waking up screaming. Four days of an hour of sleep a night. Four, long, exhausting days. His hands lock on my waist, pushing me against the refrigerator harder.

When he thinks he's made whatever statement he's trying to make, he pulls away, leaving me breathless. "What did I do to deserve that?" I ask breathlessly, my chest heaving, a smirk on my lips with my fingers tangled in his hair.

"You breathed. You live…that's what you did to deserve that." He mumbles.

_That's it? No 'I love you Katniss' or no 'be mine?' or 'stop ignoring me'._

"I really need to get going…" I maneuver my way out of in front of him and grab my red and white striped mini backpack, purse thing and pull it on.

"Wait…" he blocks the door.

"Peeta, Prim is moving today and I need to go help her-"

"Katniss, listen…I'm really sorry for…everything." He whispers.

"What are you sorry for?" I ask.

He's silent. I snort and roll my eyes. "I'll see you around, Peeta."

PEETA'S POV

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" I stand in the center of my bedroom. I broke all the lamps in here, I destroyed my pillows and there's feathers all around. I hurl a picture frame of my family at the wall and then start punching the fuck out of my mattress. "JUST GROW…" I groan and punch harder. "A PAIR AND ASK HER TO BE YOUR FUCKING GIRLFRIEND!" a huge wave of adrenaline surges through my and before I know what I'm doing, I pick up my mattress and hurl it at the wall. I threw it so hard that I knocked over my dresser and spill all the clothes and books and everything for work, sending feathers and papers flying all around the room. I'm so angry at myself! I fucked up so bad! I wish I didn't chicken out!

"Ask who to be your girlfriend?" I look up, angrily pulling the feathers out of my hair. It's May 19th. I shove my nightstand over, sending mre feathers flying.

"You dammit! Katniss, that's why I came over earlier but I'm too much of a fucking _coward_ to ask the fucking girl I'm in love with to be my girlfriend!" I trip over the comforter and fall into the shards of glass, cutting my bare chest, my hands and my whole front except for my face open. "Fuck!" I have shards of glass in my body and I can't get up because I can't shove the glass in further. Katniss walks right into my bedroom and gently helps me to my feet.

"You want me to be your girlfriend?" she whispers.

"Desperately!" I say.

"Okay," she says. I stare at her.

"What?" I ask like an idiot.

"Okay. Yes, I'll be your girlfriend. Now go take a bath and get the glass out." she says.

KATNISS'S POV

He stares at me for a moment and then hesitantly walks off to the bathroom.

I remember very clearly that he has six pillows, all of them feather pillows.

I grab my wallet and jog out of the apartment.

I flag down a taxi and go to the nearest target. I get a cart and six feather pillows, a new bed sheet set because he destroyed that too, I get two bedroom lamps, and a vacuum. I pay over a hundred dollars and toss the receipt in the trash and go back to his apartment. He's in the shower, not the bath. In know he's going to be in there for a while because he has to get out the glass. I leave everything outside of the bedroom door and get to work. I move his mattress back to his bed as I double and triple check for no glass. I get the new vacuum and set it up. I vacuum everything up, the glass and the feathers. I refold all his clothes and put everything back together on his dresser after lifting it up off the ground. I put the picture frame of his family back. I get all his dirty clothes and start his load of laundry. Then I make the bed with his new sheets and put on the pillow cases and put them in their places. I put the lamps back in their place and I make sure it's completely spotless and hide any evidence that I bought anything, even though he'll know. I hear the shower shut off and I lie down on the center of his bed and put my hands behind my head. He's been in there for an hour.

He comes out in his boxers, and his eyes turn to saucers as he sees the room is spotless and everything is cleaned up, the bed is made, the dresser is up, the lamps and everything.

PEETA'S POV

Not only did she say yes to what I'm been choking to get out, but she fixed up my entire bedroom. She lays innocently on my bed, my ankles crossed, her hands behind her head. I pull on a pair of jeans over my boxers and turn to her.

"I owe you," I whisper. I'm covered in cuts from then stupid lamp

"For what?" she asks. I look around my bedroom, gesturing wildly. "Oh Peeta," she begins softly, worrying her lip between her teeth. "You don't owe me anything for this." She whispers.

"Yes I do…" I whisper. "Tell me something I can do and I'll do it. I'm going to pay you back for the stuff you bought." I say. She smiles a little.

"No you won't. I'm not going to tell you how much it was." She says.

"I'll find the receipt." I say, grabbing her purse backpack off my spotless dresser and dig through it. She just watches me, looking stunning and innocent. I sigh and drop the bag on the dresser. "Stand up." I say. She stands up and I check where she was laying. She lies back down.

Oh, I know…her shorts.

I climb on the bed above her and unbutton her shorts and slide them off. Her eyes go stormy as she watches me search her shorts. I toss them back to her and without permission; I sit her up and tug her shirt off, leaving her in just her bra and underwear. I've never seen her exposed like this. The most I have seen of Katniss Everdeen as a woman is her in her underwear and tank top. Which was very breathtaking, but now she's in just her bra and underwear. As child Katniss, I've taken baths with her, but this is completely different because we were like three and I don't even remember it, I've just heard the stories. She was still wearing a one piece bathing suit when she was ten and I was eleven. So I've never really seen was she's got to offer, and technically I still can't.

"Are you going to just stare at me, or are you going to look for the receipt you won't find?" she asks calmly. I blink multiple times and shake her shirts. I frown.

"Where's the receipt?" I ask.

"Not here, that's for sure. Are you going to make me get dressed? I have no problem wearing no clothing, if that's what your prefer." She smirks and I roll my eyes and toss her shirt to her. She smiles and pulls it on, her shorts back on. She drops herself back down to the bed and stares at me again.

"What do I have to do to get you to give me that receipt?" I demand.

"What do you _think_ you have to do to make me give you the receipt?" she asks.

"What do you _want_ me to do?" I ask.

"I want you…to go as far with me as you want to." She says. She's clearly giving me permission to take her innocence. I raise my eyebrows and walk over, slamming the door.

"I can do whatever I want to you?" I repeat.

"Yes." She says.

"Fine then."

…..s…..

"Shit!" my bedroom door slams again and I hear shouting on the other side, startling both Katniss and I awake.


	5. Chapter 5

"Shit!" my bedroom door slams and I hear shouting on the other side, startling me awake. Katniss is asleep on my chest and she's not wearing any clothing. The blankets are down to the middle of her back but Finnick, who just slammed my bedroom door, did not see anything because she's lying on top of me. I can hear Johanna, Annie, Alex, Prim and Blight talking to Finnick.

"I can't believe it! Brainless lost her fucking card before I did!" Johanna shrieks. Katniss stirs and her eyes slowly open. She locks eyes with me and yawn and sighs, dropping her head back on my chest. I slowly start to slide her off me, but she puts her hand on my cheek to stop me.

"Stop, don't go. Who cares if they're there?" She whispers. I place my hands on the small of her back and sigh.

"We should at least get dressed." I whisper. she shakes her head.

"I'm gonna take a shower." She mumbles. I gets up and stretches, yawning before walking off to the bathroom. I pull on a pair of boxers and make the bed, lying back down on top of it. She comes out of the shower in a towel. "I need to go home." She mumbles. "And get more clothes…" she's tired still. "I don't have any clothes or anything…just a towel…" she runs her hands over her face.

"Katniss, your clothes are right there." I nod at the dresser where they all ended up being flung last night. She stares at them and then stumbles over to them and grabs them, going back into the bathroom. She comes out a minute later fully dressed and stumbles over to me and falls down next to me.

"I'm going to take a shower." I whisper, running my fingers through her wet hair. She gives me a thumb up without looking at me. I watch her in the doorway of the bathroom for nearly five minutes and know she's fallen asleep again. I take a long shower to prepare myself for Finnick's sarcastic banter, and then get out and dry myself off. She's fast asleep, so I just dress in my room in gray jeans, my gray vans, a white V-neck and a tan jacket that I leave open. I run my fingers through my hair, which is curly, and then I give Katniss a long look, knowing I don't have the strength to wake her because she's so adorable when she sleeps.

When I open my bedroom door though, she turns over and locks eyes with me.

"I wasn't asleep." She says. She gets up and grabs her phone off my nightstand. She stretches and I can hear her joins cracking. She follows me out to the living room.

KATNISS'S POV

I know that Johanna and Finnick are going to tease us the worse.

When we walk into the living room, Peeta stops.

"I'll be back in five minutes." I announce.

…..s…..

I come back an hour later, because I'm very bad at timing. I changed my clothes and prepared this.

I'm in a turquoise dress that cuts down low. It goes to six inches above the knee and flows from the bottom of my ribs down, tight everywhere else. I have a pushup bra on too, now, because I don't own any limp shitty bra's. I packed extra clothes for everyone. And I have on black wedges.

I have two twelve packs of beer and I bought a ton of waters and already called off work tomorrow and ordered everyone to do the same. They all did as I said, confused. That was over the phone. I took another shower and braided my hair. I got chips and salsa, a lot of it, and nacho cheese, and a ton of pizza's.

I also got a twelve pack of Prim's favorite soda since she's pregnant and can't drink, and she's only nineteen, son this soda is her's and Alex's. Everyone else is twenty two, twenty three, or in Blight's case, twenty four.

I walk in the front door.

"That took you so fucking long?" Finnick is excited to begin the banter, and so is everyone else. I start to put everything on the coffee table. "Can we start our banter now?" Finnick demands. I open all the blinds and windows to light up the place and turn on the stereo.

"Just a second, you impatient shit." I grumble. Peeta snorts while everyone else looks irritate.

I get out a beer and pop the top off, taking a long, slow drag. Peeta is laughing at me, because I got so much beer. He doesn't hesitate to grab one, too. Everyone begins to help themselves as I put all the Pizza's in the oven to keep them warm. I get bowls and dish all the cheese and salsa, licking my fingers clean.

"I'll bet Peeta saw you do that last night." Alex says loudly. I smack the back of his head.

"I didn't say start yet, you sister fucker." I reply. Everyone starts laughing, including Prim.

"Before we start, Effie wants us to go out to lunch with her tomorrow." Prim says. I shrug.

"Can we do breakfast on Tuesday?" I ask.

"I don't know," Prim says.

"Well call her." I say. Even with her pregnant, she still listens to me. "Does she know about the baby?" I demand.

"No," she says.

"Well you better tell her." I say.

"Can we please start the talk?" Johanna complains. I finish setting up the food and everything and lock the front door.

"On one condition." I say.

"What?" Johanna demands.

"Prim and Alex has to take care of us when we're hung over tomorrow." I say.

"That's why you made us call off work?" Peeta asks.

"Is that a troblem?" I demand.

"No…"

"Good." I take another long drag of the beer in my hand, finishing it and dragging the trash in here, throwing it away and grabbing another.

"I have _never_ not _ever_ seen you drunk." Prim says.

"Because I've never been drunk, you bloody idiot." I say. She rolls her eyes.

"This'll be good." Johanna smirks. "I say we set up a video camera to watch tomorrow." She suggests.

"We can use mine." Peeta gets up and walks into his bedroom, coming back with a tripod. He makes sure it's charging as he starts the video. "I say we all wait till Katniss gets drunk. I want to remember some of this in the morning." He says. I finish my second beer and move on to my third, stumbling slightly as I grab it.

"A dress was a really bad idea." I admit. I dig through my bag and get my mesh gym shorts and tug them on under my dress. I grab my tank top I wore when we were at my parents and I dragged Peeta to my room and half walk, have stumble to the bathroom to change. I toss my dress carelessly in the corner.

"My dad will be so proud of you right now, Brainless." Johanna says.

"Fuck you." I snarl, my words slurring slightly.

PEETA'S POV

We all watch Katniss as she finishes her fifth beer. She keeps giggling and stumbling around. She's drunk.

I get up and close the windows, because the last thing we need is Katniss falling out the window.

"Sto-op it!" she keeps saying. She bursts out laughing and pokes Johanna's nose. She just keeps giggling and moves onto her sixth.

"She's finished half a pack. I kind of want to see where this leads…we should all not drink." Johanna smirks.

"Fine…" I say.

…..a…..

KATNISS'S POV

I wake up on the floor of the kitchen, covered in water…no, something sticky. I see a puddle of brown covering me. I can hear muffled voices and someone asking for me. I smell syrup. I stare at the brown liquid and notice a bottle of syrup next to me. Two bottles of syrup. I'm covered in some type of white powder, too. I feel something trickling down my forehead.

A wave a nausea overwhelms me, and I end up throwing up in the garbage can that is next to me. Everything is too light. I try to get up, but slip in the syrup and fall right back down, a moan of pain loudly escaping my lips as my pounding head comes in contact with the cool tiles. Everyone moves into the kitchen and they all just start laughing at me.

"S-Shut up!" I moan. "What the hell am I covered in?" I demand, wincing from the pain in my head. I notice that I'm only in my bra and underwear. "What happ-ened to my c-lothes?" I moan.

"You ditched them." Peeta says.

"What am I covered-" another wave of nausea overcomes me and I vomit into the garbage can again. Everyone is laughing so hard that they can hardly breathe. "This is disgusting!" I whine. I try to get up again, but slip and fall right back down. Peeta hoists me up to my feet, and has to literally carry me to the shower. He starts a hot shower. He locks the door and picks me up and sits me down in the tub. I'm still in my bra and underwear and he has to literally wash whatever the fuck I'm covered in off me.

PEETA'S POV

She's miserable, but when she watches the video later, she's going to laugh her ass off. I have to literally strip her naked and wash her whole body, and eventually have to join her in the shower. She doesn't try to do anything sexual, she just keeps her eyes shut as I wash her. I wrap a towel around my waist and leave her in there for a moment. I shut off the water when I have everything I need for her, and then I wrap her in a towel, and pick her up.

"I can take care of myself, you know." She mumbles.

"But you don't want to, do you?" I whisper as I help her into a clean pair of underwear and pull one of my shirts over her head. I give her some medicine.

"No," she mumbles when I finish.

"Good, because I like babying you." I kiss her forehead and force her to drink the water she bought. I tuck her in to my bed and stay in there with her.

….s…..

After vomiting eleven times to get all the alcohol out of her system, after sixteen bottles of water and multiple kisses to her forehead, she rises and walks off to the bathroom. She must have brought her toothbrush, because she scrubs her teeth clean and comes back to me.

"Better?" I ask, standing up. She had just woken up.

"Much." She stretches and pulls off my shirt, putting her bra on before pulling her shirt back on. :Part of me wishes I'd done something in that shower." She smiles innocently and walks out of the bedroom.

KATNISS'S POV

"Well hey, hey, pancake." Finn teases. I flick him off. Peeta joins us in the living room and sets his camera up to the TV.

_I'm running around, singing about ponies and unicorn. My hands circle Peeta's lips. _

"_Are unicorns real?" I demand, my words slurring. I drop down in his lap and kiss him sloppily. He gently pushes me away clearly aware that everyone is in the room. _

"_No." he says. I burst into tears. Everyone starts laughing, including him. "I'm just kidding." He lies. I slap him. _

"_That's mean!" I get up and down my ninth beer. I start to run around, singing "la la la la" repeatedly. I still hit the high notes but I sound like a little toddler. _

_I point directly at the camera and spat at it. The lens gets blurry. It gets wiped off and then the camera shows Peeta going back to his seat. I drink another beer. _

"_We should stop her soon. She's going to be really hung over." Annie warns. _

"_Oh just let her go, Peeta'll probably fuck it out of her anyways," Everyone bursts out laughing, including me. _

"_That's right!" I start jumping up and down, giggling. "Fuck me, Peeta?" I beg, kissing him sloppily again. _

"_No Katniss, that's not right." He says when I pull away. My face contorts in a look nobody knows, and I down three more beers. _

"_I WANT PANCAKES!" I shout. _

"_So go make some pancakes." Johanna says. _

"_Okay!" I get up and everyone joins me, Peeta bringing the camera and sitting it on the counter. I get a ton of things from the cabinet. I get food dye and eggs and milk and peanut butter and oil and chips and pancake mix and bitter and syrup. I pull off all my clothing, including my bra, which Peeta fastens back on and safety pins closed. I stop my foot. _

"_I thought you said you liked my boobies!" I whine loudly. I see the clock on the stove says four thirty. I start to fumble with my panties. _

"_Look Katniss," Peeta is alarmed that I'm going to strip naked. He cracks an egg on the floor and my eyes light up. _

"_PANCAKES!" I start grabbing all the ingredients and smashing them all over the floor. I dump all the oil and scoop out the peanut butter and put it on the floor. I grab the syrup and screw the top off, ripping the seal off and pouring the entire thing all over me. Everyone is way too shocked to laugh. I then drop to the floor and pour the other bottle of syrup all over my chests and begin to roll around in the nasty mess on the floor. I get the pancake box and pour it all over myself. Then, out of nowhere, I pass out, and face Peeta gets every single thing I messed up, the camera goes black. _

My jaw is completely slack. I smacked Peeta, exposed my breasts…oh god. I'm disgusted with myself. Everyone is looking at me, waiting to see my reaction.

And I wasted almost two hundred dollars of Finnick and Peeta's groceries.

I'm ashamed of myself. This isn't even funny. I'm a grown ass women. I swear to god it's like someone flipped a switch inside of me to "teenager" to "Adult"

I shake my head and stand up.

"I want that deleted. Now." I say. Peeta hesitantly deletes the video, making the TV screen go blue. Without a word, I gather all my things, changing back into my dress and leave.


	6. Chapter 6

I get home and take a shower. I clean the entire house and replace every single thing I destroyed at Peeta and Finnick's. I leave without a word to everyone there, ignoring all of their protests. I then clean my entire house and wash every article of clothing. I boot up my computer and check my school email.

I have one, two of them from students, asking what the homework was. I know there wasn't any homework last night. I email both of them back.

_There wasn't any homework, but make sure to study for your test on Thursday. _

The other one is from a parent. It's Olive's parent. Olive is struggling and she's frustrated because she's getting held back and she doesn't understand.

_Hello Ms. Everdeen, I'm Olive Pother's mother, Julie Pother. _

_I was wondering if you could possibly meet with my daughter after school once a week sometime, to tutor her. Outside of school, possibly at a park? _

_As you know from our parent-teacher conference a couple months ago, she is failing and just doesn't understand. She comes home crying almost every day from frustration, and I don't know what to do. We've gotten many tutors for her but none of them help her. We could pay you, too. _

_I just don't know what to do anymore. I want to help Olive as much as I can. _

_If you need to contact me, you can call me at (212)324-2386 or email me at 3pak _

_Sincerely, _

_Julie Pother. _

I sigh and sit back in my computer chair. I hear the front door open and close again.

"Katniss, you are you?" Annie demands. All of them walk into my bedroom.

"Fine…" I run a hand through my hair. I should not have missed work today. I seriously called off of work so I could recover from a hangover?

I really don't like talking on the phone with strangers, but I like Olive, she's one of my favorite students, and I want to help her as much as possible.

My friends and sister all watch me as I drum my fingers on my desk. I know I'm definitely going to tutor Olive, and I'm not going to accept money. I could teach and not get paid and be perfectly fine with it, because I love kids and I love teaching them.

I rise and shut the lid to my laptop, sliding it into my computer bag, which I hang over my shoulder.

"Where are you going? Would you stop running off?" Johanna snaps.

"It's not running off, Johanna. It's called working when you're not at work." I reply calmly. I grab my cell phone and car keys and a bottle of water and a sheet, my wallet and my purse backpack, and then I head for the door.

"Katniss, are you okay to drive?" Peeta asks. I know he means well, and I can't get mad at him even if I wanted to.

I'm honestly fine though, I feel normal. I got all the alcohol out of my system. "I'm good, Peeta, I promise." I smile as him and open the front door. I head down the stairs to my truck. I used to absolutely hate going to Central Park because of the thing with 9/11 but I don't mind so much anymore.

I park down the street and gather my things, stopping at Starbucks for a muffin because I'm hungry. I head down to the park, finishing my muffin on the way. I lay my sheet down under an oak tree and sit down, resting against it. I go back to my email, using my hotspot from my bag and use dial the number Olive's mother, Julie left on my email.

"Hello?" a lady asks. She sounds friendly enough, probably my Mama's age.

"Yes, hi, is this Julie Pother?" I ask.

"This is, may I ask who is speaking?" she asks.

"Katniss Everdeen, I'm Olive's math teacher." I say.

"Oh, yes, I do apologize, I forgot I emailed you earlier." she laughs easily and I smile. "So I understand that you're pretty young. Olive always says you're her favorite teacher, so I know it's not your fault she doesn't understand it. She was just diagnosed as ADHD and ADD, so we understand she probably was not paying attention to your lessons. She said all the others students are understand except for her, so I know it's not you. I understand that you can't help every single student, because I myself am a teacher at Regis High School." She says. "But you seem to be a very brilliant, young lady, and happy for you on that. Now, my husband and I were wondering if you would tutor Olive outside of school. We've hired tons of tutors from all over the country but nothing seems to be working. We'll pay you…maybe we can do this once or twice a week, on a set day, possibly at central park." She asks.

"I can tutor Olive, but I can't accept your money for it, Mrs. Pother." I say.

"May I ask why, Ms. Everdeen?" she asks.

"Well, it's quite simple, really. I teach because I love children. I could be a teacher and not get paid and have no problem with it. I can't accept your money because it doesn't make sense to me. I'd much rather do it for free." I say. She laughs easily again.

"Okay then, so what days are good for you? We could do it for an hour after school, maybe?" she asks.

"Of course…let's see, Tuesdays?" I ask.

"Okay, that's perfect for us." she says.

"And…" I have to think. Thursday's are test days, Wednesday's are the days I usually use to grade papers and get ready for test day, and by Friday, I'm drained and exhausted and just want to go home and sleep. "Monday and Tuesday?" I ask.

"Perfect! That's wonderful!" she exclaims.

"Okay…so…school let's out at Four Fifteen, so how about from…Five to Seven?" I ask.

"That's perfect. Where at?" she asks.

"Central Park?" I ask.

"I was thinking the same thing." She says. I can hear the smile in her voice.

"Okay…do you know the Hudson River, near the bridge in the park?" I ask.

"Yes," she says.

"And that large oak tree by the picnic tables?" I ask.

"Yes, I know exactly what you're talking about." She says.

"How about we meet there? Starting tomorrow?" I ask.

"Yes, wonderful, Ms. Everdeen, I really can't thank you enough for this." She says.

"No need to thank me." I smile.

"Well…goodbye, I will see you tomorrow." She hangs up. I see I have twenty one missed calls; three from Peeta, Finn, Ann, Jo, Prim, Alex and Blight. I exhale softly and decide that I have to call _one_ of them back, because I don't want to worry them.

I know I don't feel like getting snapped at, so I dial Peeta.

"Thank god, Katniss, you need to come home." He says.

"Peeta, I'm working-"

"That girl that got a zero on her test? Yeah, she's standing in your living room, crying, demanding to talk to 'Ms. Everdeen'."

Olive is in my living room? What in the world?

"Are you lying or are you serious?" I ask, not believing him.

"Katniss, I'm dead serious." He sounds worried.

"Okay…I'll…be right there…what the fuck?" I hang up, having muttered 'what the fuck' more to myself than to him. I gather my things and head back to the apartment. When I walk in the door, I see that Peeta was indeed not lying, and he's currently trying to calm Olive down.

"Olive?" I ask, setting my stuff down by the door.

She turns to me, looking desperate. Peeta releases her and she walks right over to me and hugs me, almost as if she's my daughter and I'm her mother.

My friends look alarmed and Johanna mouths 'what the fuck happened?' to me, and I mouth 'I don't fucking know!'

It takes me nearly an hour to get her to calm down enough to speak, and I hand her a glass of water and sit down across from her.

"Olive honey, does your parents know you're here?" I ask. It's beginning to get dark out. She shakes her head. "Does anyone know you're here?" I ask. She shakes her head again, and I know I'm going to be in deep shit with the school board if something happens to her. "Olive, what's wrong?" My friends have migrated to Johanna's room, but I can hear them shushing one another and I know they're dying for answers.

"I don't have anyone else to talk to , Ms. Everdeen." She whispers.

"About what, Olive?" I whisper.

"I…I'm pregnant…" she stutters. I don't let myself react on the outside, but my insides are screaming.

_This girl is at most fifteen years old! Prim is nineteen and I still am weary on her being a mother! This girl is like thirteen! She's pregnant?_

"Olive-" I begin.

"Let me hide here? Please Ms. Everdeen? Please? I can't face my parents! They're going to be so ashamed of me! I'm only fourteen! I can't take care of a baby! I can't abort a baby and I don't want to get rid of my own child! Ms. Everdeen, you have to help me!" She starts crying again.

"Olive…you need to tell an adult-" I say.

"I just told you! You're an adult!" She says.

"But I'm not…" I sigh. _I don't know how to react to this. All I know is I need to say out of this and get this girl home! _

I do what I always do in situations like this. Haymitch, believe it or not, is the best person to bring your problems to. He always knows what to do. So I just think, _what would Uncle Haymitch do?_

I think for a long time that he would take this girl home and stay out of it. "Olive, I'm just your teacher…you need to tell someone you know you can trust. You need to tell…your Mama, or your Dad, or sister or brother and aunt and uncle or cousin…"

"Who would you go to? If you were my age, who would you go to?" she demands.

"My parents," I say. I'm serious, but I would have told Johanna and Annie first and dragged them to Effie with me. I couldn't go to my parents at her age, because I was in a foster home.

"Mom and Dad are going to be so ashamed of Me." she whispers.

"Olive, your parents love you, they're going to stick by you, I promise." I whisper. She sighs and stands up. "Here, let me drive you home." I whisper.

…..a…..

I pull up in front of Olive's house and take her to the door. There is a police officer outside. I want to hightail it home and stay out of this.

But that doesn't happen. I'm clutching my green 5c iPhone in my hand as Olive opens the front door and grabs my arm, pulling me into her living room. I recognize her mother from the parent teacher conference, and her eyes darken when she recognizes me.

"You!" she shouts.

"Stop Mom, Ms. Everdeen didn't do anything wrong. She's the one that made me go home. If she gets in a tiny ounce of trouble, I'll leave and never come back." She threatens. A girl that looks to be my age stands up. She must be Olive's older sister. A boy that looks to be nine is sent upstairs by his father. The cop starts to question _me_ as if I did something wrong.

"Ms. Everdeen didn't do anything." Olive says.

"Well then what is she doing here?" Julie Pother demands.

"I'm not saying anything until that officer throws that report he just wrote about Ms. Everdeen in the fire and you all swear to leave her out of this, because she had nothing to do with this and I don't want her penalized." Olive says.

"I can't do that until I'm sure she's innocent, miss." The cop says. I respect him, because my father is a cop, and he deals with stuff like this all the time.

I'm not allowed to leave. I have to sit there and listen to the whole story. "And after I took the test, I knew you guys would hateb me forever so I went to Ms. Everdeen because I trust her."

"Oh Olive honey, we don't hate you." her mother whispers.

"And I tried to get her to let me move in with her and hide there but she convinced me it would be okay! She didn't do anything! Please don't get her in trouble because of me!" She told the much longer version of the story and it's three in the morning right now. I have to be awake in four hours for work. Olive continues her story until six, and I know that I'm not going to get a wink of sleep and I'll probably have to go right from here to work. She keeps rambling, and at six thirty, Mrs. Pother calls the school. When my hangs up my phone starts ringing and I look down to see it's my boss. My friends and everyone know better than to call me at a time like this.

"Hello?" I ask. This is the first time I've spoken since I spoke to the cop and I sound _exhausted_."

"Katniss, is everything that Olive Pother's mother said true?" my boss asks. His name is Carl.

"Yes," I say.

"Wow…and you haven't been home? You haven't slept?" he asks.

"Correct." I say.

"Okay…you get the day off…and tomorrow…goodness Christ, what has happened to society today?" he exhales. He told us, his employers that if we treat him like he's our boss we're fired.

"Yeah, I know." I sigh.

"Okay, well…I'll see you on Thursdays." He says. "I'm covering your classes for both days, so I need to know homework's…"

"Just tell them to study for their test on Thursday." I say.

"Alright," he hangs up.

Olive keeps rambling until ten in the morning, and then they finally let me go. I stumble to my car and get in. I know I can't drive because I'm about to pass out, and I also know none of my friends are at work, so I call Peeta.

"Katniss," he exhales. The stress is evident in his voice.

"I can't stay awake…you you come get us?" I mumble. My words aren't making sense.

"Yes…I need the address." He says. I just barely manage to get it out, and pull up the street so that everyone in the house can't see me, and then I hang up on Peeta and pass out in the driver's seat, slumped over the middle console.

PEETA'S POV

I flag down a taxi and tell the guy the address. She asked me to come and get "us" but I know she meant "me".

Katniss was hardly conscious when she called and I know she knows she wasn't making any sense.

That kid is pregnant and my girlfriend got dragged into it and got forced to stay there all night.

I see her truck down the street. The lights are on and I can see it's turned on. I pay the man and get out, jogging to her truck.

I pull open the driver's door to see her hair is taken out of her braid and is messy. She's unconscious because she passed out. She has blisters from the wedges she's been wearing. She's still in her dress. It pains me to see her like this, for some reason. I reach over her and open the passenger door, carefully lifting her into my arms with her legs limps at either side of my hips, her head limp on my shoulder, her arms fallen limp, just like her legs. I lay down the passenger seat and set her in, buckling her and taking off her wedges. I watch her legs and hands as I shut the door and move back to the driver's side. It's about to storm really bad, and there's tropical storm warning's all over the state. I keep a careful eye on her as I head to her apartment.

I pull into the parking lot just as it starts to pour. I'm going to have to soak both of us, but it's not me I'm worried about. I get her things and stuff them in my pockets and then get out and get her out. It's winding like crazy and pouring horribly. In a matter of seconds, her dress is see-through and she's drenched. I lock her truck and run up the stairs, into the apartment, where towels are immediately passed my way by the person that raised Katniss from age ten to eighteen. Everyone sits around as I take Katniss to her room and peel her dress off, leaving her in her bra and underwear as I tuck her into bed.


	7. Chapter 7

KATNISS'S POV

I wake up in a dark place, and I panic.  
Peeta came and picked me up, right? Last I remember, I passed out in the car. The doors were unlocked, too. I'm in my bra and underwear and the bed I'm in is wet. I turn on the lamp next to me and sigh in relief when my bedroom becomes recognizable. I can hear heavy rain pounding on the windows.  
Why am I soaked? Where are my clothes?" I get up and pull on fresh clothing, basically more bra and underwear and then sweats and a tee shirt. I walk out into the living room, still exhausted. I see everyone is still here but now Effie is too. I drop down on Peeta's lap and rest my head on his shoulder.  
"Why was I wet?" I whisper.  
"Because it was raining when I carried you upstairs." He replies.  
"I think we deserve an explanation." Finn says. I lift my head off Peeta's shoulder reluctantly.  
"I haven't got one. What you heard is all I got. I basically got there, Olive forced me to come inside with her. Some cop questioned me and refused to let me leave, which pissed me off because I didn't do anything wrong, and then I had to stand there for over twelve hours and listen to Olive tell her parents everything. All the details of her sex life, about the father, everything. They didn't let me leave until I nearly passed out."  
"That's so messed up." Johanna shakes her head.  
"Katniss darling, how did this child find where you live?" Effie asks.  
"I have no clue." I sigh loudly.  
But as I get to thinking, I know exactly how. I lift my head to look Peeta in the eye.  
"May I see your phone?" I ask Peeta.  
"Do you want your phone?" He asks me. I search his eyes for a moment to see if he seriously does have my phone.  
"Why do you have my phone?" I ask.  
"Because you were unconscious, Katniss." He says.  
"Well can I have it then?" I ask.  
"Your sitting in it." He laughs a little. I pat his pocket and feel my phone in there.  
I shift on his lap and dig into his pocket, digging out my phone and then just staring at it.  
I can literally see water in the screen.  
"Katniss, I am so sorry, I tried not to get it wet-"  
"It's not your fault Peeta, it's not a big deal, I've got warranty." I wave him off. I look at the clock and see it's only seven. Verizon should be open still...it's not raining that bad. I rise off Peeta's lap and go into my room. I pull on my light colored denim skintight jeans, a white tank top and then a coral colored sweatshirt and then white Nikes. I grab my purse backpack and head into the living room.  
"Where do you think your going?" Effie demands.  
"Sprint," I say.  
"Uh no your not." Peeta says. I raise my eyebrows.  
"I'm not?" I ask.  
"No. We have tropical storm warning and it's raining." Peeta says.  
I know my truck will be perfectly fine because it's a mountain type of truck. I just roll my eyes and dig my keys out of Peeta's pocket.  
"I'll be back in an hour." I announce.  
"Kitty, it's a really bad idea-" Finn begins.  
"Kitty?" I laugh.  
"Yes, that's your nickname. It's a really bad idea for you to go-"  
"I'll be fine." I wave him off.  
"Katniss, please just-" I kiss Peeta to shut him up.  
"I'll be fine, I'll be back in an hour, I promise." I whisper. He looks reluctant.

...8...

I really should start listening to Peeta and Finnick. I got my phone fixed but I don't have any service because the rain is so bad. I can literally feel the wind pulling my truck and it's raining so bad I can hardly see. There is puddles up to halfway of my tires. At least I stopped at the store and got more food for the house.  
School has been cancelled for the rest of the week. I'm literally the only person driving right now. I start going downhill and it's like driving in a river. I pull into the parking lot and it's at least eight now and I know I've worried everyone beyond belief.  
I park the car and grab everything and calmly head upstairs. I'm not going to tell them that I was terrified because I swerved off the road at least seven times.  
I calmly walk in the front door and into the kitchen, shedding my sweatshirt, leaving me in a see-through, soaked white tank top.  
"What that Katniss?" Peeta's voice is laced with worry.  
"I don't know, why don't you get up off your ass and go check?" Johanna snarls. I begin unpacking groceries when arms wind around my waist and Peeta nuzzles his face in my neck, making goosebumps rise, causing me to shiver against his chest.  
"Are you cold?" He whispers, kissing my cheek from behind. I shake my head. "Then why did you just shiver?" He asks challengingly.  
"Because..." Doesn't he know what he does to me?  
"Because...?" He clearly want an answer.  
"Because...I did." I say.  
"No, your soaking wet and your cold." He says.  
"No I'm not Peeta, I'm not cold." I whisper.  
"Then why did you shiver?" He questions. I just sigh and start putting away groceries. "Katniss?" He asks softly.  
"Because...you." I say.  
"Me? What do I have anything to do with you shivering?" He whispers. I just shake my head and put the rest of the groceries away. Then I walk to my bedroom and strip down to my bra and underwear. I dig around for clothes and Peeta walks into my room and shuts the door behind himself. I pull on another pair of sweats and a long sleeve shirt.

Everyone is sleeping over because they can't exactly get out. Peeta is sleeping on the couch across from Finn and Effie is on the blow up mattress. Blight is on the floor. Peeta said that since Effie is here, he doesn't want to stay in the same room because he wants to _make a good impression_. After tossing and turning for a while, I fall asleep.

…..s…

_I'm being held back by men in white outfits with guns pointed to my head. I watch in horror as they pour gas all over Peeta and then drop a match on him. _

_Flames ignite him and the ground around him. He screams the most terrifying scream, begging me to help him. "Please Katniss!" he screams. I start thrashing around. _

_I begin screaming, bloodcurdling, horrified, desperate screams. I don't shout him name, I just scream desperately. _

"_Katniss, please!" he screams. _

"_I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" I scream, trying to get out of the guards grip, thrashing around desperately. _

…..s….

I'm completely drenched and there's some ice on my legs. Effie, Finn, Peeta, Blight, Johanna, Annie, Prim and Alex are standing in my room with the light on. Johanna has a bucket that she bought when I began having the nightmares. Effie is used to them, and so are the girls and Alex, but Blight, Finnick and Peeta have never been here for the ones that make me scream. Tears are blurring my vision and I'm gasping for air.

"OkayBrainless?" Johanna asks, reaching forward and pluck an ice cube out of my hair. I scrub at my eyes.

"Fine, I…I'm fine." I mumble.

"Are you sure?" Peeta asks. I nod.

Everyone heads out, back to bed. Peeta begins to leave, but I can't help it. "Peeta?" I blurt. He turns around. "Stay with me?" I ask. He looks over his shoulder, into the living room where everyone else is already going back to bed. He steps all the way back into my bedroom and shuts the door, walking over to my bed. I pull off my soaked clothes and force myself up, pulling on pajama pants and a tank top. I climb back into my bed and he crawls in next to me.

"Always Katniss, I'll always stay with you." he whispers.

…..s…

I wake up, alone. I don't panic, because my bedroom door is wide open and I can clearly see everyone in the living room. I rise from my bed and grab my cell phone off charge, walking through the living room to the kitchen. I have a way to help sore throats and Effie, Prim, Jo, Ann and Alex know what I'm doing, because I used to do it every damn day. I have a teaspoon of honey and then get water and mix salt in it. I swish it around and then gargle it in my mouth and spit it in the sink.

"What is she doing?" I hear Finn laugh from the living room.

"She's helping her throat." Annie says. I put everything away and wipe down the counter and then walk back through the living room to the bathroom.

"No showers honey, it's lightening!" Effie calls. She never lets anyone shower during storms if it's lightening. I don't answer her because I know better. She said that when she was a child, the lake by her house. I think it's completely bullshit but she insists, so I listen and I'm not going to let anyone shower during lightening, even though I don't think it's real. I don't want to find out if it is. I brush my teeth and hair and then join everyone in the living room.

"Okay?" Peeta asks me.

"Fine," I reply, sitting down. I have internet, thank god. I boot up my laptop and go to my email. I groan loudly when I see one from Mrs. Pother.

_Hey Ms. Everdeen, it's Julie Pother again. _

_Are you still willing to tutor Olive? We're going to get her homeschooled when this school year ends, but I think she'll love it have your help._

I exhale loudly and run my hands over my face.

"Unbelievable," I shut my laptop and push it onto the coffee table.

"You have internet?" Johanna demands as she eyes my hotspot sitting on the coffee table.

"Yes…" I say. She grabs her laptop and shoves it into my lap. I sign into the internet and she snatches it back. Everyone begin shoving iPads and cell phones and iPod's and laptops at me. I sign all of them in and pass them back, grabbing my laptop again. I know I can't ignore her. I did agree to tutor her, too. I can't back out because Olive cried out for help and I got dragged into it. I bite my lip and email her back.

_Of course I can still tutor Olive! Should we start next week? In this weather, we won't be able to get anything done._

"Katniss, you really are a life saver." Annie says. My email shows I have one message and I click on it.

_Excellent!_

That was Mrs. Pother.

I go to YouTube and begin to search songs.

…s….

Monday comes way too fast for my liking. I'm dreading today, I'm dreading tomorrow. The school year has been extended three days because of the three days we had to take off. It's the twentieth and we get out of school on Wednesday, June 12th, instead of Friday, June 7th. I'm not going to see Peeta until Wednesday because I'm going to be tutoring Olive from right after school to seven both days and I have papers to grade. I'm going to be till midnight tonight, I bet, and then I'll wake screaming, get a bucket of water thrown on my and then lay awake till my alarm pulls me out of my daydreams.

I didn't get to see Peeta on Sunday, either, because he was called into work the second the rain reduced to a drizzle.

And then I remember I have to tutor this kid during summer and a while after that, because she doesn't understand the things I've gone over with the class a million times.

I get into my classroom in a white flowing skirt that goes to six inches above the knee with light pink roses on it. It sounds like a curtain, but it's actually really cute and I got it from Hollister. And then I have on a button up white long sleeve shirt tucked into the skirt. The buttons on the shirt are black, and so is the waistband on the skirt. I also have on white flats with black bows on them. The staff and students are used to be dressing like a teenager or one of those girls on tumblr, because I'm only twenty three years old and I can't stand dressing like an old lady to teach a class full of teenagers that make fun of you outside of class. I have my hair down today, and it's straightens to its not wavy.

I begin writing down the homework as my first period begins to file into the classroom.

"We missed you last week Ms. Everdeen! We had a jerk for the substitute on Monday! She didn't even let us ask questions and she made us just sit there and stare at the blank board! She didn't tell us the homework, either. She was really mean." A boy named Marshal says. I finish writing down the homework and turn to face the class.

"Seriously?" I ask.

"Yeah, It was so weird!" Marshal's friend says. His name is Brett.

"She was treating you guys like you were in detention." I say.

"I know, it was so rude," A girl that I honestly can't stand says. She's the bitch of the school and she bullies anyone that compliments her. Her name is Sara. She knows I don't like her because I constantly compliment her, because she can't bully me, because I'm a teacher and if she pisses me off, I give her detention. I still treat her like I treat everyone. My compliments are sincere though, because even though this girl is a sob, she's got great style and perfect grades. I don't like her because of her attitude. There was this bitch that was just like her and only targeted me in high school and she bullied me, but Johanna beat the fuck out of her one day and she backed off. Her name was _Glimmer. _

"So, is our test today?" a girl named Megan asks.

"No," I say. Everyone starts cheering and whooping. I laugh a little. "Because I actually forgot about the test and I haven't even made it yet. I'm going to be really busy until Tuesday and I'm going out with my bo- my friend on Wednesday, so your test is on Thursday, again."

"Boy? Were you going to say Boyfriend?" Megan demands.

Yes, I was, but they don't need to know that. Peeta and I are going to the mall on Wednesday.

"No, I was going to say brother, but he's my best friend, like my brother." I say. It's technically true, because Peeta is my best friend, too.

"Oh…" Megan trails off.

I honestly don't know what I'm going to have them do today, because I didn't plan a thing.

_Real responsible, Katniss. _

"How about you guys just talk for a few minutes while I figure something out?" I ask. Everyone begins to ramble at once. I go to my desk and run a hand through my hair, stressed. I find two worksheets and print out a hundred and ten copies of each because I have a hundred and five students on any day. I pass them all out to the students.

"Can we have a partner?" Sara asks.

Hell no. I know in high school and middle school, my teachers pissed me off when I had a partner, but I don't feel like babysitting because I'm in a bitter mood today. "No, you guys are working on your own today."

"Aw! Come on Ms. Everdeen!" Rachel whines.

"I said no." I say. I can't help but sound bitter, and I'm normally only in a bad mood when I'm at work once a year, if that. Everyone looks surprised to see me snippy. Everyone ducks her heads and gets to work.

"Someone's bitchy today." I hear Sara mutter when I sit down at my desk. I look up and raise my eyebrows, looking directly at her. Everyone sees me looking at her, and she plays it off as if Megan, who is one of my favorite students said it. "Megan, that's really mean of you to say about Ms. Everdeen." Sara says.

"I didn't say it!" Megan looks panicked, like she's going to get detention.

I've never, not once written a detention, and I have a whole stack of them in my desk, and I'm honestly contemplating writing one.

"Sara, I know Megan didn't say that." I say. She just stares at me. "And-" my phone vibrates on my desk.

Mr. Underwear Model: _hey beautiful_

I almost smile, but I know I need to focus on Sara.

"And I'm going to let it slide." I say, "But say it again, and I _will_ write you a detention." I warn. She puts her hand over her chest and takes a deep breath.

"Thank you, I'm sorry, for you know…what I said." She says. I just nod, because I honestly don't care.

Everyone goes back to their work, and I sit back in my chair with my legs crossed and pick up my phone.

Me: _I love you so much. I'm dying right now. You just saved me from writing my first detention. _

Peeta never fails to make me feel better.

Mr. Underwear Model: _I love you too ;) What's wrong? Are you okay?_

Me: _I'm just stressed and I'm in a bad mood and this girl just called me a bitch because I said that they can't have a partner on their worksheets, and I got pissed and almost wrote her a detention. She's the school bully and she blamed one of my favorite students for calling me a bitch. And I may miss a certain blond haired, blue eyed boyfriend of mine…_

I go onto the site I got those worksheets from and get the answers and write them all down on a piece of paper.

Mr. Underwear Model: _You're not a bitch, she's the bitch for calling you a bitch and bullying people. And I sure hope that the blond haired blue eyed boyfriend of yours is me_

I look up to see Megan with her hand raised high. I get up, locking my phone and flipping it over before walking over to Megan. I help her through the problem and start to head back to my desk when someone raps impatiently on my door and then just walks right in. I turn around to see Prim standing there. Everyone looks up at her and she doesn't seem to care. She just walks over to me and hugs me.

"I need your help." She whispers in my ear before releasing me.

I give her a confused look but she just shakes her head.

"Guy, this is my little sister, Primrose." I say.

"But you can call me Prim." Prim says. Something's up with her.

Everyone starts to talk about how they didn't know I had a sister. I move the extra chair I keep in my room for when Johanna randomly walks into my room. Everyone knows Johanna and loves her, and always ask me when she's coming back. She always manages to disrupt my class and it really irritates me. Johanna comes here so often that she knows all my students by name.

"Ms. Everdeen, when is Johanna Mason going to come in? Are we going to see her again?" Sara asks. Even she loves her.

"I know know..." I sigh. Just as I finish speaking, Johanna walks in my classroom.

"Brainless, I need the keys the apartment."

"Why?" I ask.

"Because I accidently dropped mine in the garbage disposal and Annie said that the last time I let her use her key, I lost it, so she won't give me the key and the guy in the office won't give me another."

"What makes you think _I'm _going to give you the keys?" I demand.

"Because if you don't I'll tell them the real reason you weren't at work last Monday." She says.

I know she wouldn't do that. Johanna can be an ass, but she wouldn't do that because no matter how much she says she hates me, I know she loves me. I narrow my eyes.

'Or I'll tell them who Peeta really is."

That, she will do.

"Peeta? That guy that came in your class during sixth and seventh period? I met him! I walked him to your classroom!" Caitlin exclaims. "He's so nice Katniss-I mean Ms. Everdeen." Her faces goes slightly red from embarrassment. "He's cute too! You two would be a perfect couple!"

"Katniss, I'll just talk to you when you get home." Prim's frustrated.

"Prim, wait, I'll be there in a second, just hold on." I'm stressed. I hate when Johanna visits me.

"Brainless and Peeta _are _a couple! And she wasn't at work on Monday because-"

"Fine! I'll give you the keys, gosh Johanna." I walk to my bag and get my house keys. "If I don't get those back by the time I get home at eight tonight, I'm going to freak out." I say.

"Thanks Brainless." She says. The whole class is freaking out because now they know that Peeta and I are dating.

"Guys! Listen!" they go silent. "You guys can't tell anyone and you can't let people find out! We all know why Mrs. Kate lost her job."

Because she had sex with her boyfriend on her desk and a student saw them.

"But you wouldn't do that. Ms. Everdeen, can you get in trouble from Johanna now?" Sara sounds upset.

"Yes," I run a hand through my hair. "Don't worry about me though," I say. Everyone laughs a bit. "Now get back to work. These are due at the end of class and they're for a grade." I tap the papers on Marshal's desk and walk to the back of my classroom.

"Katniss," Prim begins, speaking way too loudly. I put a finger to my lips and sit down in my chair, swiveling to face her. "I think Alex is cheating on Me." she whispers.

I sit up, crossing my legs.

"Why?" I ask loudly, outraged. Everyone looks curiously back at us and Prim sighs loudly.

"I'm just going to talk to you about this later-" she starts to get up, but I stand up and grab her hand.

"I can't, Prim. I won't be home till late tonight and tomorrow and Wednesday I'm going out with Peeta." I whisper.

"What about Thursday?" she asks.

"Test day, which means I'll be grading all night." I whisper.

"Fine, what about Friday?" she demands.

"I'm going to be exhausted on Friday, and you can't tell me something like that and expect me to last till Friday to find out. Prim, just tell me." I whisper. She looks around the room. The bell rings and the students drop their papers on my desk and leave.

"Can I stay here today and be your assistant? I'll tell you on your planning period." She says.

"So next?" I ask. "My planning is third period." I say.

"Okay," she sits down in her chair. Everyone files in and they all stare at Prim. I grab the stack of the worksheets.

"Ms. Everdeen! You're here! The substitute on Monday was so mean!" Christi exclaims.

"I heard! She treated you guys like you were in detention!" I exclaim.

"Yeah, I hated her!" Harold says.

"She sounds terrible." I say.

"So what are we doing today? Don't we have a test?" Garret demands.

"Well…to be completely honest with you guys…I forgot about the test…I don't even have it made yet, so no, the test is Thursday." I admit. Everyone starts cheering.

"My friend Caitlin said Johanna was here! Is that true?" Lauren asks.

"Yes, Johanna was here." I sigh. "Oh, and this is my sister, Primrose Everdeen. Don't call her Primrose though, call her Prim." I say. Prim waves from my desk, and I see she's on my phone. I don't bother her.

"You two don't even look alike." Christi says.

"That's because I'm a female version of my father and Prim is a younger version of my mother." I say.

"She's right. It's like the spitting image, literally." Prim agrees as I start passing out the worksheets.

"Can we see a picture of you as a little kid, Ms. Everdeen?" Olivia asks sweetly. I think for a moment.

"I guess so…" I power up the overhead as I take my phone from Prim and go to my camera roll. "My Mama took this photo on her phone when I was…I think I was six…she got it transferred each time she got a new phone…she sent it to me and said that this was my photo I.D. on her phone." I say. I put my phone under the screen. It's a picture of me in a yellow sundress, running through a meadow with purple flowers. The sun is setting; illuminating my body and making me look golden. I look like a model. They can only see the back of me. My hair is blowing out behind me.

"Oh my goodness! That picture is amazing! Were you a model?" Christi asks. I raise my eyebrows.

"No…" I admit.

"Wow! Do you have one of the front of you?" Garret asks.

"Um…let me check…" I say. I pick up my phone and search my pictures. "No…do you want me to get one?" I ask. Everyone nods. I have a very bad tendency to get off topic. I don't really care, I just won't put the worksheet as a grade. "But you guys have to be quiet." I say. They all nod. I dial Mama.

"Katniss, aren't you at work sweetheart?" she asks.

"Yes-"

"Then why are you on the phone?" she cuts me off.

"Mama, I just need a picture of me as a kid." I say.

"Okay…I'll send you the one of the meadow and-"

"I showed them that one already." I cut her off.

"Oh…okay…" she says. "I'll text you one." She says.

"Okay, and Mama, can you please not send me the one where I'm in the tub with the soap in my hair?" I ask. My class starts laughing, along with Prim. Mama laughs, too.

"I won't, Katniss, I promise." She says.

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you too honey." She hangs up. My phone beeps and I groan at the photo.

Of course she sent the one of me and Peeta. I'm on the carpet in the living room on my stomach, my head being held up by my hands, staring at him. He's in the exact same position as me and we're both smiling, gazing into one anothers eyes.

They're going to recognize Peeta, because he doesn't change much…and I know that everyone gave a very detailed description. Prim comes up behind me and peers over my shoulder. She snickers and I roll my eyes and text my mother.

Me: _I need another one without Peeta in it._

My phone beeps with a picture of my, my Mama, Daddy, Prim and Johanna. I set this under the overhead.

"Is that Prim and Johanna?" Christi asks.

"Yes, and my parents." I say.

"What do Johanna's parents look like?" Garret asks. I go to my camera roll and get a picture of Haymitch and Aunt Kari.

"Okay, enough of that, you guys need to do those worksheets." I say.

Everyone sighs and gets to work. I'm in a better mood now.

I remember that the last thing that Peeta said was that he hoped the blod haired blue eyed boyfriend was him, and now it seems like I just ignored him because I don't want to admit I'm cheating when I'm not.

PEETA'S POV

I keep shuffling files nervously, walking arouond my office and ocasinally looking out the window, trying to keep myself busy.

_She's at work. She isn't cheating on you._

I've worried myself sick.

When ten rolls eleven rolls around and I know she's in third period, I start to feel sick to my stomach. Third period is her planning. Surely she has time to call or text me?

I give in and call Finnick.

"Her bro, what's up?"

"I think Katniss is cheating on me or something." I blurt.

I know I'm overreacting.

"Wait…what?" Finnick asks.

"I think Kat is cheating. We were joking around and she was upset and one of the reasons is she said she missed her blond haired blue eyed boyfriend of hers, and I joked and asked her if it was me and she's not answering." I sigh.

"I don't know anything about women bro, I only know about my Annie, but…I think…I don't fucking know bro, you're gonna have to confront her on Wednesday. Don't bug her until she talks to you, that's what I would do."

"Fine…" I hang up ad carelessly toss my phone on my desk and run my hands over my face.

_Katniss isn't cheating on me. She loves me. _

_Right?_

_Katniss loves me, right?_

…s…..

I've been busy since I second I remembered to message Peeta back and never even got to it. Prim said she thinks Alex is cheating because he said "I love you" when someone called. She confronted him and he said he was on the phone with his Mom and that he'd never cheat. I spent the rest of the day helping kids, and now I'm sitting at the fucking park, my mood went from pissed to good and back to pissed.

Olive is two hours late and it's getting dark.

Two more hours pass and then my phone starts ringing.

Two more hours, Six hours. Mrs. Pother messaged me and said she'd be here but this is fucking ridiculous.

It's fucking midnight. What the hell am I doing? I'm pissed off as I grab my things and go home. Finnick is here with Annie and Johanna. I slam the front door and toss my shit on the floor.

"What's up with you?" Johanna demands.

"The fucking kid didn't show! Her mother messaged me four times and told me she was coming. I'm not going to sit there until ten in the morning for the fucking kid again!" I shout. "Now I have papers and shit to grade, which means I'm not going to get to sleep at all tonight!" I shout.

….s….

I didn't get to sleep because I had to grade those fucking papers. I stop at the store on the way to work and buy a ton of 5-hour energy's and down all of them. Work drags and Olive isn't at school in sixth period. I still haven't had a chance to talk to Peeta and tell him I'm not cheating on him, and the fact that he isn't messaging me like he does every day just confirms the thought that he's pissed at me.

I wait three hours for Olive the later that day and the fucking kid doesn't show up. I grab my things and storm home. I haven't slept anything but an hour, and when I do manage to sleep, I wake up at six thirty, drenched in sweat and crying.

I can't go on a few hours. I'm thirteen hours behind on sleep but I can't call off work and I have to make those fucking tests. I give the little shits worksheets again and make the tests at work. I grade the worksheets in three hours, don't get home till eight, when I was supposed to meet with Peeta a hour and a half ago. Not to mention I got called to my bosses office and informed that I'm more than likely going to lose my job for announcing that I was in a relationship with Peeta.

I'm just about to call him when I pass out from sleep deprivation.

…..s…..

I wake up at six and I feel like such a terrible person. I know Johanna and Annie worked together to carry me to bed last night. I know I'm worrying them.

I give the kids the test today, and after work, I'm there till eight, grading papers.

I get home and start to fall asleep when I force myself to wake, take a shower and drag my ass to Peeta and Finnick's. I don't knock because I know Peeta'll make Finnick get the door and then Finnick will start shouting at me for being a cheating bastard and won't let me in. And I know Peeta better than he knows himself, and I know he won't stop Finnick because he is convinced himself that I'm cheating and he's pissed at me.

So yeah, I just walk right in.

Finnick is in the living room and I know that Peeta closed himself in his bedroom.

"Get out." he snarls.

"No," I reply.

"Get the fuck out right now Katniss or so help me god-"

"Finnick, I swear to god, I'm having a terrible week and I'm not in the mood to be yelled by my best friend at for cheating on my boyfriend when I didn't even cheat on him in the first place." I snap. I know Peeta's listening.

"Why in god's name should I believe that you didn't cheat on him?" he demands.

"Because…after he texted me Prim showed up at my work and told me she thinks Alex is cheating. Then Johanna came and stole my house keys after telling my first period that me and Peeta, are dating, and now I'm in trouble ith the school board which means I'm probably going to lose my job. Then I had to help the stupid shit kids because the thing I taught a billion fucking times, they can't do. I remembered I forgot to answer him when the end of second came, and during my break, Prim went into full detail. Fourth came and I had to help the kids again, then lunch came and Johanna came back and forced me to take her to Home Depot to get the fucking key copied, and then sixth and seventh came and I had to help the kids again. Then I sat at the fucking park for _six hours_ waiting for Olive to show up. I got home at midnight, as you know, and then I graded those fucking worksheets until six, and didn't get an hour of sleep. I went to work lasting on five hour energy's and had to teach a lesson, so I was busy all that day, and Haymitch wouldn't let me off the phone during break and lunch because he needed someone to rant to about his job because I'm apparently '_the bitchiest person he knows' _so I'm '_fun to rant to_' and then I waited for three hours at the fucking park for that kid, and then I got home and fell asleep. I woke up later soaked in sweat and crying from a fucking nightmare, and gave the little shits worksheets again as I made up their fucking tests. I graded the fucking worksheets till eight and got home. It was already an hour and a half past the time I was supposed to go and meet Peeta, and then I passed out right when I went to call him. Then today I was at work till eight again grading those fucking tests that everyone failed, even though we've been working on it for almost an entire six weeks. Now I'm exhausted and I'm stressed and my back hurts so bad because I'm on my fucking period and I'm so annoyed with everything! I didn't cheat on Peeta, I swear to god." I'm out of breath. Finnick's mouth is half open.

"Jesus Christ Kitty." He shakes his head. "I believe you. That really sucks. So you're going to lose your job?"

"My boss said that I am more than likely going to lose my job." I say. "Now I'm going home to drink a whole fucking bottle of Nyquil. Hopefully I'll die, and then I don't have to worry about anything."

"Wait, Katniss." Peeta's voice stops me. "Don't go." He begs.

"I have to. I have to go and make up another worksheet for the kids." I say.

I do, and I'm ready to cry. I have knots all over my back and I have a headache and I just don't feel good because of my period and I really just want to die.

"Well then I'm coming with you." he says. He grabs a few things and takes my car keys from my hand and pulls me out of the apartment.

….s…

It's three in the morning and I'm working up some worksheets. He won't go to bed and I honestly feel bad. I've broken seven mechanical pencils from frustration. I break a pen this time and drop my head on my desk and just sob.

"Katniss," he whispers, coming up behind me. He starts to rub my shoulders and sighs. "You're so tense. You need a break." He begins to massage my shoulders after that.

"I c-can't take a break!" I choke out.

"Well you keep working while I help your back out." he digs his thumb in the right spot and rubs in small circles, and it feels so good that I manage to stop crying and finish the work.

…..s….

Now it's Friday and I can't wait for the weekend. Johanna is my assistant today. My back feels so much better, and I honestly feel better.

I'm in the middle of a lesson in fourth period, which is my favorite period. Johanna is at my desk. A man in a suit walks into my room, and I know he's from the school board. He hands me a manila folder and gives me a rude look and leaves.

"Ohhh, Brainless got a present." Johanna smirks and rises. All my students stare at me.

I recognize that man as the man in charge of all the schools and everything. I sigh and pull open the folder. Johanna reads over my shoulder.

_Dear Katniss Everdeen,_

_We are very sorry to inform you that you have lost your job and you do not qualify for unemployment. _

_You are to gather your things and leave right after you finish reading this._

That's all it says. The stress comes crashing down again, and my back suddenly feels so much worse than it did earlier this week, and I grab onto Johanna's arm to stay upright. She's angry. She's _livid._ And nothing good ever comes out of a livid Johanna Mason.

I told everyone I was going to get fired, family wise, and my closest friends. My student's don't know.

"What happened, Ms. Everdeen?" Talia asks. I look up at my students and see all of them look panicked.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Johanna hisses under her breath.

"Johanna-" she storms out of the classroom. I can hear her shouting down the hallway, and then the man that gave me the manila folder is dragged back into the room by Johanna.

"Are you fucking kidding me, you cunt rag? You fired her? She didn't even do anything! You fired her, you fucking asshole, what the hell is wrong with you?" she shouts. The kids go frantic.

"Fired? Your fired Ms. Everdeen?"

My class starts complaining.

Now I'm fired without unemployment which means no money which means I'm screwed over.

"Bye, guys." I say. A lot of the girls start crying as they hug me. All of them hug me.

…..s…..

Peeta had to work all day all weekend so I haven't seem him since Thursday.


	8. Chapter 8

I wake with a start, sweaty and crying. Again.  
It's a week later, on Friday. I haven't seen Peeta because he's been working nonstop. Tomorrow is June first. We've only been rejoined for almost a month.  
I walk aimlessly around the apartment, bored to tears. I'm off of my period and my back still hurts like crazy. I've been looking for a job and I don't think I'm going to get lucky.  
I wake the same way on Saturday morning.  
I'm going to be alone all weekend. Johanna is spending the weekend at Blight's and Annie is going to be at Finnick's. I haven't seen Peeta in a week and a day, and he's only managed to call me once, and I haven't gotten any text messages because he's been so busy. The front door opens when I'm heading into my bedroom and I'm expecting it to be Johanna or Annie.  
Someone lifts me up and lays me down on the ground. I recognize the scent of Axe and Cinnamon the second his lips collide with mine. He kisses me nonstop for nearly ten minutes, breaking apart for a few seconds to get some air into our lungs. When he pulls away, his eyes are dark with desire. "Hi," he says, kissing me again. He stands up and holds his hand out to me. I grasp it and he pulls me to my feet and pushes my against the wall, kissing me for the third time. "I've missed you so fucking much." He mumbles.  
"Mmm…I've missed you too," I mumble between frantic kisses. "Let's get your clothes off." I murmur.

….a….

We put our clothes back on after round seven and now he's massaging my shoulders again.  
"I need to tell you something." He whispers. We're the only two here. By putting clothes back on, I mean my bra and underwear and his boxers. I'm lying on the floor with my head on the arms and my bra is unclipped. He's sitting next to me, massaging my shoulders, and occasionally planting kissing on any part of my skin his lips connect with first.  
"Do I want to know what this something is?" I mumble, sighing in content as he leaves yet another kiss on my mid back, leaving a flame there that burns but feels amazing.  
"I hope so." He whispers.  
"Alright, let's hear it then." I say.  
"I got you a job, if you're interested." He whispers.  
"Okay…" I say.  
"I can always call the manager of the restaurant that I've been opening since January and tell him that you're not interested in being the co-owner." He whispers, quickly hooking my bra back together as I roll onto my back and sit up, pushing him down and sitting down on his bare stomach, leaning down so my lips are an inch from his.  
"What did you just say?" I whisper.  
"I want…" he takes a deep breath. "Marry me?" he whispers, sitting up so I'm in his lap and his hands are on my bare back. I stare at him. "I know we haven't been dating for long, but I've been in love with you for as long as I could remember. I love you, Katniss, more than anything or anyone in the universe. We haven't been dating for a month yet, but I don't think that matters. I love you and I never want you out of my sight. Katniss Everdeen, will you marry me?"  
My heart pounds in my chest as I search his eyes for any sign of hesitation or regret. I don't find a single trace of it.  
I think really hard for a long time.  
We haven't been dating for a month yet, but Peeta's right. I love him more than anything and I never want to be away from him. I want to marry him.  
"Yes…" I whisper.  
"Yes?" he repeats.  
"Yes," I repeat again. He grabs his jeans off the floor and digs a black velvet box out of the right leg pocket. He opens it up and pulls out a diamond ring that is twisted like two silver wavy bands molded together, making the ring infinity signs, and the entire thing is lined in diamonds all the way around.  
His lips tackle mine again, and soon enough, we put our clothes back on for nothing.  
…..s…..

I wake to multiple kisses being pressed all over my face. I lazily open my eyes and place both my hands on both his cheeks. He rubs the sleep from my eyes for me, and places light feather kisses on my shut eyelids. "I have two surprises for you." he whispers. "Well…three. Come take a shower with me so we can get dressed."  
"Yeah, that's the reason you want to shower with me." I mumble.

…..s….

I curl my hair as he does something in my room. I slowly pull on my light peach colored skintight dress that goes to seven inches above the knee, and then pull on my wedges that are the exact same color. I run my fingers through my curls and decide I look good enough. I roll on my deodorant and walk out of the bathroom. The deodorant is taken from my hand by Peeta. He has two suitcases sitting on my bed and is packing another one, mine. He tosses in the deodorant.  
"Are you going to start your period soon? Do you need those stick things?" he asks.  
"Tampons?" I ask. He shrugs.  
"That thing your shove up my territory when you're on your period." He says.  
My vagina is his territory. I laugh.  
"I'm fine," I say. "I'm good for three weeks." I say.  
"Okay, let's go then. You look breathtaking, by the way." He says, eyeing my up and down. He disappears with the suitcases and then comes back with nothing and takes my hand.  
"We don't need anything. Are you okay walking in those things?" he looks down at my shoes.  
"I'm good." I say.  
"Okay. If your feet start to hurt, tell me. I don't care if we're in front of the door. I'll make a taxi drive you inside." He says. I smile and allow him to take my hand and start to pull me away.  
We walk down the sidewalk, hand in hand. He constantly asks me if I'm okay or if I need anything. "Peeta, I'm fine. I promise." I say. He doesn't seem to care that we're in front of a ton of people. He kisses me for almost a minute before pulling away, running his thumb along my jawline.  
"I'm just making sure." He whisper. He starts walking again, pulling me with him. I hear someone gasp.  
"Ms. Everdeen?" someone asks. I turn around and Peeta stops walking. I see Garret standing there with his friends, Marshal and Brett. Garret was in my second period and Marshal and Brett were in my first.  
"Is that really you?" Marshal asks, his eyes bugged out as he elbows Brett in the ribs. He looks up and his eyes widen.  
"Yes boys." I say. I hear Peeta laugh under his breath behind me, his hand still locked with mine.  
"Well…" I start to feel slightly disgusted at the fact that three thirteen year old boys are staring at my chest. People that could be my dad are staring at me, too.  
"Katniss, we're going to be late." Peeta says.  
"Okay…bye boys." I wave and Peeta starts to pull me away. A man at is old, like wrinkly and everything stares at me, gawking. I stop walking because I'm uncomfortable. Peeta turns to face me.  
"What's wrong?" he asks, putting his hand on the side of my neck, partly on my cheek.  
"I want to go home and change." I say.  
"Why? You look gorgeous, Katniss." He whispers.  
"But these people keep checking me out…" I mumble.  
"Because you're amazing. Just ignore them baby, they don't get to see or touch what's underneath. That's for my eyes and my hands only."

PEETA'S POV

I love her so much. I'm ecstatic she said yes. I've made is very clear that she's mine. I start pulling her again, down the street. She gasps and stops walking, looking close to tears.  
"What's wrong?" I ask, worried.  
"He just touched my butt." She whispers, her eyes flicking behind her. It scared her.  
"Who did?" I ask.  
"Some forty year old creep!" she exclaims.  
"I'm sure it was an accident-"  
She pinches my arm. "That's what it was like Peeta. You can't accidently pinch my ass." She whispers.  
"Okay…" I wave down a taxi and pull her in, covering her ears as I whisper where we're going. The driver laughs and begins to drive.

…..s…..

KATNISS'S POV

The taxi starts to turn and I suddenly lose my vision as Peeta covers my eyes with his hand. He pays the driver with one hand and carefully leads me out of the taxi. He stops us.  
"Okay...look." He removes his hand.  
In front of me, is a restaurant called. Kat and Peet's eatery  
Oh my god. My jaw goes slack.  
"As I was saying earlier...I found you a job. Be the owner with me. We both have just as much power in the restaurant." He says. "It's for burgers and everything and we already have our own menu with Mellark recipes.  
"Peeta, I can't cook." I whisper.  
"That's why your going to learn. And..." He grabs my hand and pulls me inside. There's the hostess stand in front and benches against the wall and a glass wall that sits on top of a half wall that goes all the way to the ceiling of the second story. It's light as if a beach theme with no beach. There's paintings of oceans all over the place and the bottom half of the walls go from cream, and then blends into sky blue; almost as if it was sand molding into beach. He shows me around the kitchen and leads me up the swirly stairs. It's thick enough for a family to walk down at the same time as another walks up. It's the same up here. There's a door in the corner that looks like the front door of a house.  
"Peeta, this is incredible." I whisper. The whole front wall if the building is really thick glass that can't be broken with a bullet.  
"Now for your other two surprises." He pulls me towards the door that looks like a house and pulls me up another flight of stairs, the doors staying locked.  
"The floor is soundproof so nobody downstairs can hear us." He whispers before opening yet another door. This time, I'm standing an a house. I walk around.  
"Don't touch the walls baby, I just finished painting yesterday." Peeta says. The front is not glass but there is a window seat in the dining room, and a chandelier hanging above the table. There's four bedrooms, all of then fully furnished. "So this is my new apartment." He spins his keys around his index finger. "It's probably going to get pretty lonely all alone here..." He adds. "So...I would prefer a roommate. Possibly female, maybe with brown hair that's naturally wavy. Maybe one that just got engaged today?" He asks.  
"Is this your way of asking me to move in with you?" I ask. He smiles.  
"Yes." He admits.  
"Then yes. Yes, I'll move in with you." I say. He smiles.  
"Great baby, perfect, wonderful. This is amazing. I love you so much." He kisses me, and with his lips still connected with mine, he lifts me up and spins me around. He pulls away. "I have two more surprises." He says. I raise my eyebrows. "I'll be right back." He walks down the hallway and I hear the pitter patter of feet and then a little brown puppy comes barreling towards me. It's all just dark brown and I can tell it's a full bread Labrador retriever. I gasp and sit down on the floor. Peeta comes back out and watches me. I play with the puppy and after almost an hour of this, the dog yawns and lays down, drifting off to sleep.  
"How did you manage to do everything behind my back?" I ask.  
"Well...this was easy. I made myself get fired so I got unemployment, so I was still getting paid. Each time I was at the office, I was actually filling out paperwork and everything. I've been doing this since January. A little birdie told me you love puppies so I got you one...I know you love the beach because you used to go to it in the summers, your ring size was easy. I brought my buddy Brian into your apartment on Friday when I knew you'd be out cold and he measured you. You didn't even stir." He says. "And we're spending the night here. Tomorrow I'm going to tell everyone the very last surprise." He says.  
"I don't have any clothes." I say.  
"Ye you do. I stole more than half your clothes by stopping off at your apartment after I finished this and I took a ton if your clothes. You didn't even stir when I kissed you goodbye." He laughs.  
"Peeta, you are the most perfect person in this whole entire world." I mumble.  
"I'm a close second. Your the one that's the most perfect." He mumbles. "Oh, and one more thing." He disappears to the kitchen and comes back with a box of Godiva chocolate. "I believe someone wanted chocolate." He says.  
"When did I say that?" I ask.  
"The other day. On Thursday."  
"Oh..." I remember now.  
"Let's go sleep. I paid over two thousand dollars to get that dog trained to she should be good. What do you want to name her?" He asks ask he pulls me off the floor and hands the chocolate to me.  
I look down at the chocolate cooler puppy and decide.  
"Godiva." I say.  
"Godiva? Really?" He smiles as he leads me to the bedroom.  
"Yes." I say.  
"Okay then...These walls are dry, I made sure, so the bed can hit the wall all it wants. I'll be right back." He says. He walks away.

PEETAS POV  
I wake up, Katniss nuzzled into my chest. My clothes are on the floor and so are hers. I watch her as she sleeps. She occasionally smiles, or she frowns. She sighs. I look at the time to see we have to get going soon. I begin kissing her. Her cheeks, eyelids, nose, forehead, lips. Anywhere. She smiles.  
"I could get used to waking up like this." She says, her eyelids peeling open.  
"Get used to it." I say. "We have to get going." I mumble.  
"Where?" She asks.  
"Your old apartment." I say. I made sure with Finnick that he got Annie, Prim, Alex, Johanna and Blight ready. They're supposed to be there at eight. It's seven thirty. Katniss gets up and walks away. I hear the shower start, and I walk into the bathroom as she's stepping out of the shower and I step into the shower and turn it on.  
I wash my hair and body and get out, shaving my face because I know Katniss hates facial hair.  
I pul on clean boxers and jeans and a tee shirt. She's in white skinny jeans and a sea foam green shirt that's ruffled in the front with a bow in between her boobs. It's a tank top. She's in white wedges this time.  
"Let's go."

... ...

"Brainless, for someone as dull and boring as you, I like your outfit." Johanna says. I told her to make sure she hides the ring, so she puts on a grey strayer and her hand hasn't left it since.  
"Okay guys, I know you want to know why your here." I begin. They all nod. "We're going in vacation. First to Kentucky, and then California to deliver the news."  
"What news?" Prim asks.  
I look at Katniss and she shakes her head, telling me she's not saying a word.  
"Well...we're getting married." I begin. Finnick didn't know that, he just knew about the vacation. Everyone starts cheering and whooping and hitting us on the back. Katniss winces when they touch her back and I know she needs another massage. "We have our own restaurant." another round of cheering and whooping. "And we're moving in together." More cheering and whooping.  
"You forgot something." Katniss says.  
"And what is that?" I ask.  
"Godiva?" She asks me.  
"Oh, right. And I got Katniss a puppy. It's in the truck. We leave right now. All your stuff is packed already so don't worry about that. Let's get going."

...9...

I'm shocked to say the least, to find my parents are at Katniss's parents house, too.  
They never say it, but we grew up with them thinking Katniss and I were going to Marry.  
Katniss turns the knob with her left hand in her sweater. We know my family is here because the cars are here. Katniss steps into the house first, and then the rest of us. We have a whole plan on how we're going to tell them.  
"Oh my goodness! What are you guys doing here?" Everyone starts hugging everyone.

KATNISS'S POV

"We were literally just talking about you two!" Mama points between Peeta and I.  
"Why?" I question.  
"Because..." Mama looks back at everyone in the room and they all start shaking their heads, clearly telling her not to say anything.  
"What?" Peeta asks, slinging his arm around my shoulder. It's an innocent move that nobody will think anything of.  
Peeta looks down at me and I look up at him. I know we would have kissed but we can't. I walk out of his grip and secretly put my phone down on the table. When nobody is looking, telling him and everyone else that knows that the plan is starting. I sit down between Daddy and Haymitch and prop my feet on the coffee table. Johanna pulls out her phone just like she's supposed to. My phone starts vibrating on the table.  
"Baby, can I have my phone please?" I ask Peeta. My family's eyes grow confused. Peeta gets me my phone and hands it to me. I smile and take my phone with my right hand. "Thank you," I whisper.  
"Your welcome," he smiles at me, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear and then sitting down on the last seat open. Everyone is gawking at us.  
My phone stops ringing and I check the missed call. I act like I don't know everyone is staring at me as I check the call and sit my phone on the coffee table, nearest Peeta. I push it a little, too.  
"So I lost my job last week." I say.  
"What? Why?" Mama sits up.  
"Oh, I got in trouble with the school board for something stupid and...they fired me." I shrug.  
"What did you get in trouble for?" Mrs. Mellark asks.  
"Well...my class found out I was in a relationship and since one of the other teachers got fired for having..." I look at the kids. "A word that starts with S on her desk, they thought I would do the same, so she got fired. They thought I was going to do the same." I shrug.  
"Your in a relationship?" Aunt Kari asks.  
Now I get to expose my hand. I pull my left hand out of my jacket and scratch my nose. It's an innocent move, but they'll turn it into something else.  
"Um...yes." I say. Mama stands up and walks over to me, taking my left hand. She has tears in her eyes.  
"Katniss..." She whispers, lifting her eyes to mine. "Who...what..." She whispers. "Katniss, your getting married?" She asks.  
"Yes." I say softly.  
"To who?" She whispers. I don't answer her. "Katniss? Who gave you this ring?" She whispers. Annie calls me this time, and my phone vibrates right off the table. Peeta must have forgot what he's supposed to do, because he picks it up off the floor. The children are asleep anyways. I'm standing in front of Peeta. He takes my hand and pulls me down onto his lap. Everyone looks alarmed and they all gasp when we start kissing.


	9. Chapter 9

It's much later in the year. It's actually the day before Thanksgiving and we're all at my Mama's house. Peeta kept us in Kentucky for a week and then brought us to California.  
"I'm so fucking excited." I exclaim, walking back into my Mama's house with the mail.  
"Why?" Peeta asks.  
"For black Friday!" I exclaim. He groans.  
"You are not going Black Friday shopping." He says.  
"Uh, yeah I am." I reply, handing everything but the ads to my Dad as I get a sharpie from the first drawer and walk around the living room, fingering through the deals.  
"Katniss, black Friday is just a good way to get killed." Peeta says.  
"What do you want the most right now?" I ask. He stares at me. Johanna, Finn, Annie and Blight start going through ads that my mother gets. She knows to save them because I'm a fanatic about it. Johanna, Blight, Annie and I go every year together.  
"Nothing…" he says. I stop pacing and stare at him with narrowed eyes. our family is estatic that we're getting engaged and they were honestly shocked, but now they're used to us. We haven't opening the restaurant yet. We're opening it in January because we need to tie a few loose strings. Although I did go to the city hall and get unemployment, because that jackass that fired me lied and said I wasn't eligible for it, and I was.  
"Are you lying to me, Peeta Ryan?" I ask.  
"No." he says.  
"You just don't want to tell me." I say.  
"Fine…I want a bigger TV. The one we have is shit, Katniss, it's thirty inches, how the hell are Finnick and I supposed to watch the super bowl in February? We don't even have HD because our screen is so damn small." He complains. He's overreacting, but he is obsessed with Football.  
"A bigger TV?" I ask, grabbing the Best Buy ads off the table. I begin to walk around, circling movies I want that went down to like five dollars. I circle a tablet, because I want that too. I get to the TV's. "You know that eighty inch TV you stare at like it's the only thing in the world every time we go into Best Buy?" I ask. His eyes light up.  
"Yes…" he says hesitantly.  
"It went from three thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine dollars to two thousand, eight hundred and ninety nine." I say.  
"What? No it didn't, your lying!" he gets up and takes the magazine from my hand. "Surely it'll be on sale on another day." He says reluctantly.  
"No it won't. it's only from Midnight tomorrow night to Midnight Friday night." I say. "Only on Black Friday."  
He doesn't want me to go, and I damn well know it, but I'm going anyways. "I don't need it." He sits back down.  
"Let's see…how about that computer we've been talking about since June?" I ask. "There's a twenty one inch monitor for eighty nine ninety nine, and then the computer itself…two hundred and eighty nine dollars." He's starting to crack. "And we can get Christmas shopping done! Please, Peeta?" I beg. I'm going whether he wants me to or not.  
"Fine!" he sighs loudly from irritation. "We don't even have the money for this." He grumbles.  
"We have almost ten thousand dollars for this." I admit. He looks up at me, shocked.  
"What?" he repeats.  
"Peeta, I've been saving for black Friday when I got my first job at Publix when I was sixteen. I blow through it every year and then it adds right back up. We have plenty of money." He shakes his head.  
"You have plenty of money." He corrects me.  
"We; We live in the same house, what's mine is yours. You've said that a million times, Peeta." I say.  
"This is different." He disagrees.  
"It's no different!" I exclaim. "Dammit Peeta, why are you so argumentative today?" I ask.  
"I'm not argumentative, you're the argumentative one." He says.  
"Yes, because it's always my fault, is that it?" I grumble.  
"I didn't say it's always your fault." He says. He's flipping through some ads without even bothering to look up at me. Effie always joins us on holidays, so she's here too. Everyone in the room looks uncomfortable with us arguing because we're always so sweet to one another.  
"Well it was implied." I reply.  
"Of course it was, because I'm always the one doing something wrong." He shakes his head.  
It strikes me that this is actually the first argument we've ever gotten in, about anything at all. We haven't even gotten in small ones where we disagree on something. "I actually didn't say that. I'd really appreciate it if you would stop putting words in my mouth." I say.  
"I'm not putting words in your mouth. It was clear you were trying to say that I was the one at fault." He mutters angrily.  
"I wasn't saying that! I was just saying that I didn't say you're always the one doing something wrong and your saying I said it. Therefore, your putting words in my mouth." I say. his eyes are black when he looks up at me and I don't understand why he's so pissed off at me because I said that the money was ours.  
"You know what Katniss? Just forget it! It's not important anyways!" he tosses the magazine on the table and storms off upstairs. Everyone is staring at me.  
"What'd I say? I just practically offered him almost ten thousand dollars!" I exclaim. Everyone puts their hands up in mock defense. "Well I'm not apologizing." I fling the magazine in my hand on the table and walk out front. It's snowing and I'm only in white jeans, a thin yellow long sleeve shirt and my Uggs. I sit down the steps and cover my hands with my shirt sleeves. I rest my right elbow on my knee and hold my head up with my right hand. I watch the snow fall in even waves.  
I don't understand what I did, or why he's so upset, but I think something's wrong with him. I know Peeta though, and he'll tell me if something's up.  
I sit in silence for an hour, watching the snow fall and my breath appear in front of me every time I exhale.  
The front door opens behind me, and I don't turn around. It click gently shut and then a black fleece blanket is draped over my shoulders. Peeta sits down next to me and hands me a mug of steaming hot chocolate. I lean into him, resting my head on his shoulder. He's silent for a long time.  
"I'm sorry." He whispers. "I was being an asshole and I'm sorry. I love you so much, never forget that." He whispers. I take a sip of the hot chocolate and sigh.  
"It's okay," I whisper. "I love you too, never forget that." We always say that now.  
We stay silent. I see goose bumps rising on his arms. Peeta normally doesn't get cold. I share the blanket with him, offering him some hot chocolate. He shakes his head. I drain the cup and sit it down next to me.  
"I think my parents are getting divorced." He whispers.  
I turn my head to look at him and he looks down at me. I don't say anything. He sighs and continues. I lift my head off his shoulder and turn around to face him, giving him my full attention.  
"I've had trouble sleeping since we got here because they won't let us share a bed, so I've been up most of the night. I know you're taking Nyquil, so you can sleep. Every night since we got here a week ago, they've been screaming at one another nonstop, and i can hear them. They go outside though. I hear them shouting terrible things at one another…last night my Dad shouted 'Why don't get just get a divorce then, if you hate me so much!' and then my Mom came back inside and I pretended I was asleep. They won't even look at each other." He explains quietly.  
"Oh Peeta…that's horrible." I hug him and he buries his face in my shoulder, in the crook of my neck.  
"I know," he mumbles. He pulls away to look me in the eye. "Should I tell Rye and Graham?" he asks. "Like…if you were me and you thought that, would you tell Prim?"  
"I would…I would confront my parents in private and then tell Prim." I say seriously.  
"Should I confront them?" he asks.  
"Peeta, I can't tell you what to do baby, but I would." I say.  
"Okay…and one more thing." He whispers.  
"Hmm?" I ask softly.  
"Promise you will never leave me, no matter how rude and bitter and mean and annoying and disrespectful I am to you, promise you won't leave my side. Without you, I've...I'm empty. I'm nothing. You are my life Katniss. I'll die from a broken heart without you." He whispers.  
"Oh Peeta, I'm not going anywhere, I promise." I whisper, gently pulling his lips to mine to give him a slow, gentle, long, sweet kiss.  
"I love you." He whispers when we part.  
"I love you too." I mumble.  
"Alright," He pats me knee, squeezing it momentarily before standing up. "Let's go inside before you get pneumonia." He says as he holds his hand out for me to take. I do, and he pulls me to my feet. After I grab the cup, he links our fingers and pulls me in the house. I drop his hand and go to the kitchen, where I put the cup that contained my hot chocolate into the dishwasher. When I walk into the living room, everyone looks anxious and worried.  
"You guys didn't break up, did you?" Prim asks with her hands resting on her protruding belly. I laugh and grab the ads again.  
"No, Peeta and I did not break up." I reply, with a smirk in his direction, to which he returns.

"Oh god, they guys had sex on the porch, didn't you?" Johanna asks.

"No," I roll my eyes and grab the sharpie again. "Although…we probably will be doing that later but just not on the porch." I admit.

"Katniss!" Peeta scolds.

"What?" I ask innocently. "You and I now that I'm right, Peeta Ryan." I say. I call him Peeta Ryan a lot now and he used to mind, but he stopped.

"You said you were on your period." He says as he grabs a ad magazine off the table.

"I am on my period." I say. "But since when has that ever stopped us before?" Effie loudly clears her throat.

"Katniss, stop. You two can talk about how and when you want to be _intimate_ when there isn't anyone else around. There are two girls that are two years old in here, and they repeat stuff." She scolds me. My mother and she are friends, and she's counted as a very close friend of the family, so she freely scolds me, almost as if I was living under her roof again. She only had the four of us, Prim, Johanna, Annie and I, and she counts us as her daughters.

As the words _close family friends_ cross my mind, I get thinking about someone, and it actually makes me set down the ads and the sharpie.

_Cinna; I haven't seen him since I was ten years old. I was friends with his daughter, Opal. I had sleepovers at his house all the time. _

"What ever happened to Cinna?" I ask quietly.

"Well…we don't really know, to be honest with you, Katniss. After we lost you three, we moved out because we couldn't stand New York City anymore. Cinna only knows we lost you, but that's it. We didn't even tell him we were leaving. He could be anywhere in the world by now." Mama admits.

I was always the closest with him and Opal. They came over for everyone single holiday and everything. His family and our family and Peeta's family were inseparable.

"What about you guys?" I ask.

"Katniss, we moved to California right after I got out of the hospital." Peeta says.

"Hospital?" I repeat.

"Yeah, remember that burn I got that knocked me out?" he asks.

"Oh, yeah, I remember." I nod. So Cinna could be anywhere. We meaning my family; lives in Rolling Hills, Kentucky.

Then I decide what I'm going to do. I grab my cell phone off the table and go to Google, pacing around the living room as I type in the name "Cinna Williams" and press enter. Facebook immediately pops up and I see a picture of Cinna and a girl that looks like Opal my age with her mother, Cinna's wife, Portia.

I click on it and see he, thankfully, has his location turned on, and I am thrilled with what I see. I copy his address and open a new page and type in _9512 Aylesbury Dr, Rolling Hills, KY_ and then paste _1704 Landmark Pl Louisville, KY_

I press paste and then press search.

It's fifteen fucking minutes away!  
I jog upstairs and get my coat, pulling it on. I grab my car keys and my cell phone charger and my puse backpack and go downstairs.

"I'll be back," I say, walking out the front door without another word.

I go on the GPS on my phone and head towards Louisville. I don't know where I'm going because I don't live here and I'm not familiar with the area, so I am literally relying on my phone. I plug it in to charge because the battery is low.

The neighborhoods I'm passing through are for the rich. Like for Bill Gates rich.

That's exaggerating, of course, but they're at least worth almost a million dollars. The quality goes down slightly, to many thousands. My phone says here when I park in front of a white house. The roof is triangle and the grass is perfect and everything is rich and amazing. I don't see Cinna living here, and I'm scared that this isn't his house. But I don't care. It doesn't hurt to try…

I get out; unplugging my phone and putting it in the pocket of my jacket on vibrate. I keep my keys in my hand as I lock the car. This house is huge and two stories. I walk up the driveway, keeping my head down. There's three cars, none of which I recognize. When I'm in front of the large front door, I freeze.

_Should I do it? _

_This doesn't seem familiar to me. _

_Oh just do it! It's been thirteen years, for goodness sakes!_

I almost don't, but then I hear the doorbell and I see my hand falling back to my side.

I guess I'm doing it then. I hear voices inside and then the door pulls open.

And it is Cinna. He looks me up and down. "Katniss?" he asks.

"Cinna?" I ask. He grins and hugs me.

"You look beautiful! How old are you now?" he asks.

"Twenty Three," I smile.

"My god! Come in, come in out of the cold!" he exclaims. I step into the house, which does seem _exactly _like Cinna. He leads me down a hallway to a room filled with everyone I recognize. I see Opal and her grandparents and her cousin Scarlett, and then there's a new children, one of them in Opals arms. I see a boy I recognize as Tyler, who has hung out with Peeta, Johanna, Opal and I once at the park, when I fell off the monkey bars and twisted my ankle. Him and Peeta carried my home.

"Shit! Katniss!" Opal hands the baby to Tyler and hugs me.. "Oh my goodness, your stunning!" she exclaims. Everyone stats to get excited because I haven't seen any of these people since I was ten and I know every one of them. "And what is this?" she taps my ring, causing my cheeks to heat up as I smile. "Your married?" Portia asks happily.

"No, engaged." I say as I hug her.

"Really?" Cinna asks. I smile wider at the thought of Peeta.

"Yes." I say.

"To who? What's his name?" Opal asks.

"Well…it's…Peeta." I admit. A lot of people gasp and Cinna hugs me again, kissing my cheek.

"We all knew it was going to happen, but still, congratulations!" he exclaims. "So…sit down, get comfortable! Tell us _everything_." He exclaims. I do as he says. "So…9/11." Cinna sighs.

"Yeah…" I say.

"Well tell us what happened from then to now and what brought you here!" he exclaims.

"Well…you know how Johanna, Prim and I got separated from out parents." I say. "We got separated from Peeta and his family too. Johanna, Prim and I were stuck in a foster home with someone I count at my second mother named Effie Trinket with one other girl, who is Johanna and I's best friend, named Annie Cresta. She had the exact same 9/11 situation at us, which is bizarre. And she got separated from her guy best friend, Finnick Odair. We got out at eighteen and moved into an apartment together…I became a teacher, Johanna owns a bar and Annie works at an insurance agency. We found our parents in Rolling Hills and reconnected with them. One Johanna and I's twenty third birthday, Peeta and Finnick Odair, who was actually Peeta's best friend, walked into Johanna's bar. We reconnected with them, too. After a while, Peeta and I started dating and so did Annie and Finnick. Johanna had gotten a boyfriend from high school she's still with to this day…I got fired from work because Johanna told the kids I had a boyfriend and the school board didn't like it, so they fired me. Peeta worked nonstop for a week and then showed up at my apartment and proposed. I said yes and he said he'd been opening a restaurant and it's ours, but it's not open yet. We moved in together and kind of worked on the restaurant for a while and now we're down here for thanksgiving and I remember family friends and thought of you guys, so I Googled Cinna and found your address and drove over here…oh, and Prim's pregnant and she's due next week." I say.

"Do your parents live close to here?" Cinna asks.

"Yeah, only fifteen minutes away." I admit.

"Prim? Your litte sister?" Opal asks. "She's pregnant?" she demands.

"Yeah…she's nineteen now." I say.

"Geez…last I saw her, she was six." Cinna admits.

"I know…it's crazy." I say. "So what about you guys?"

"We pretty much stayed the same until Opal was fifteen, then we moved here, she and Tyler got married after college and had my granddaughter." Cinna says. "That's basically it." We all chat for a few hours, and it starts to get dark outside. My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out to see a text from Peeta.

Baby: _so are you going to tell me where you ran off to? You mom thinks you drove off a cliff…I'm serious…_

I changed his name from 'Mr. Underwear Model' to 'baby'

Me: _I'll tell you when I got home_

Baby: _okay…when are you coming home?_

Me: _idk, why?_

Baby: _because I'm bored and I miss you_

Me: _so go sneak up into my room and go watch some football with Finnick_

Baby: _ok…_

We all continue to talk until nine hits

"Let's go see your family and the Mellarks!" Opal exclaims, sitting up. Everyone starts to agree.

"Can we Katniss? Do you think they'll care?" Cinna asks.

"Yeah we can…I was going to get going anyways. I doubt they'll care…they miss you guys.

"Let's go then! Katniss, you lead the way!" Cinna exclaims. Everyone follows me outside and we all head back to my parents' house, me on the GPS again.

I pull into my Mama's driveway and get out. Everyone hesitantly follows me. I walk in the house to see that Finnick and Peeta and Johanna and Blight and Annie are nowhere to be seen and I know they went to my room.

"There you are! We thought you got hurt!" Mama exclaims.

"I brought some people with me Mama, is that okay?" I ask.

"Of course…" she looks hesitant. Cinna family begins to file in behind me and they're immediately sucked in by the Mellarks and my parents. I notice that Mrs. Mellark will occasionally glare at Mr. Mellark.

"I'll be right back," I smile.

"Yeah Katniss, we don't know where Peeta, Johanna, Finnick and Annie ran off to." Mama admits.

"I'll find them." I say. I know where they are already. I head upstairs to my room and the door is shut all the way. I walk inside and see they're all squished onto my bed, watching football.

"There you are!" Peeta exclaims.

"Yeah, here I am." I say, shedding my coat and shoes. I flick off the TV.

"Hey! What the hell Kitty! The Ravens were about to get a touchdown!" Finn shouts at me.

"I don't care." I say.

"Katniss baby, can you please turn the game back on?" Peeta asks calmly.

"No. Everyone downstairs, now." I say. They all groan and start to file out.

"You're coming, right?" Peeta asks.

I nod and follow him downstairs. I go into the kitchen as everyone starts to obsess over the fact that Peeta and I are getting married and I get some chocolate from the cabinet.

I head back out, and Peeta takes the chocolate in my hand and eats the whole bar.

"You asshole! You're gonna pay for that!" I exclaim, grabbing Rye's water bottle from his hand and lunging at him. He darts out of my way and I chase him around the living room, up the stairs, back down the stairs, both of us laughing hysterically. We circle around the two couches and I know I won't catch him. I duck down behind on the the couches and he whizzes right past me. I trip him, sending him flying to the ground. He rolls onto his back and starts to get up when I sit down right on top of him.

"You know, I was thirsty." Rye says.

"I swear it's like they're eight years old again back on Peeta's birthday when he stole her cookie." Mrs. Mellark says.

"Don't you dare." He starts to wiggle around under me, but I scoot forwards and pin him down with me knees. He uses his hands to tries to push me off, but I grab him hands and pin them above his head. "Katniss, don't you dare!" he tries thrashing around, but it's no use.

"Say you're sorry." I say.

"Hell no!" he exclaims. I screw the top off with my teeth, everyone now crowding around to see if I'm actually going to do it. I pour a drip on his cheek.

"Say you're sorry, Peeta." I say.

"No, I'm not sorry!" he exclaims. I pour a stream of water right out of the refrigerator on his head, but only enough to get him cold.

"Say you're sorry." I repeat.

"No! I'm not sorry!" he exclaims. "You won't do it!" he exclaims. I can clearly see my mother with a video camera.

"I'm giving you one last chance to apologize to me for stealing my chocolate when I'm on my period." I threaten. Realize flickers in his eyes as he remembers that I am indeed on my period

"I'm not going to lie to you. I'm not sorry Katniss," he says.

"Have it your way then." I dump half of bottle of water on his head, completely drenching him. Then I climb off him and pour the rest all over his shirt.

"You are in so much trouble." He says when he stands up.

"You owe me some fucking chocolate." I say.

"I didn't know you were on your period." He defends himself.

"Yes you did." I reply.

…s…..

It's midnight and we're all awake except for Prim and the kids. Cinna and his family are spending the night, we've decided.

Peeta and I don't need words to communicate with one another. He occasionally plants a kiss on my back or shoulder of neck or cheek as everyone chats.

"Katniss," he whispers in my ear, barely audible. "My Mom is hiding her left hand." He whispers. My eyes flick to Mrs. Mellark, who has her left hand tucked under her leg, almost as if she were cold, but she isn't cold because the fireplace is on, and the heat is on, and she's in all long sleeves. She's can't be cold. "Do you think they already got divorced?" he whispers. I frown.

"Want me to find out?" I whisper in his ear. He nods slowly. I eat another chocolate before I ask. "When you get married, do you keep the engagement ring on a_nd_ the wedding band, or just the wedding band without the engagement ring?" Everyone looks at me.

"Oh, I put it on my right hand during the ceremony and switch it back over after." Mrs. Mellark says.

"Really?" I ask. "Can I see?" She freezes, and Mr. Mellark's eyes grow angry. Peeta stiffens under me.

"Yeah Renee, can Katniss see?" Mr. Mellark asks. She looks at me and then at Mr. Mellark.

"I'm not wearing my rings, darling." She says.

"Why the hell not?" Peeta asks loudly, pissed. He doesn't need to be told, he already knows. His hand, which is on my stomach clenches into a fist.

"Because…" she isn't going to say it.

"Because you guys got divorced! Don't think I can't hear you two every fucking night, screaming at one another! I'm not deaf, you know!" he gently pushes me off his lap and storms upstairs. I can hear my bedroom door slam. Everyone is dead silent.

"Mom?" Graham asks.

"Dad?" Rye whispers. They don't say anything, confirming everything Peeta just said. Both boys disappear upstairs, and at the same time, Faith and I rise, going upstairs after our boys. I still have my chocolate with me. I know Peeta went into my room. I try the door to find it locked.

"Peeta? Can you open the door baby?" I ask softly. I hear a loud, pissed, painful, upset sigh and then the door opens just enough for me to squeeze through, Godiva bolting in at the last second. Peeta shuts the locks the door and just lays down on my bed. I lay down next to him. He pulls me as close as possible and just buries his head in the crook of my shoulder.

"I don't understand. Why?" he mumbles.

"I don't know baby, I don't know." I run my fingers through his curls, sitting up and pulling him with me. "But I'm with you Peeta. I promise you that it'll all work out. I'm never going to leave your side and-" he kisses me, silencing me and pushing me down onto the bed so hovering above me.

"Go lock the door." he orders me.

"Peeta, I'm on my period. We can get blood all over my parents sheets." I say. His face gets frustrated.

"Let's go take a shower then." He says.

….s…..

I wake up alone. Godiva isn't even in here. We took a shower, just like he wanted. He kept me silent. I hate waking up alone. My Mother needs to stop making him sleep downstairs. It's honestly pissed me off. I get up and brush my teeth and then go downstairs, where everyone is awake. I'm not going to complain about the fact that I can't share a bed with Peeta. It's my parents' house and I have to follow their rules in their house.

"Morning," I say, walking over to Peeta, who is standing, not sitting down because the only spot open is next to his mother.

"Morning," he says curtly. I can tell he's pissed off now, not upset anymore. I hug him and he wraps his arms around me. I love hugging him so much because his hugs are tight and sincere and full of love. Everyone says his hugs are loose and weak, but I think its BS.

"I don't understand why you like hugging him so much. His hugs are like a dead fucking fish or something." Rye says.

"No they're not. They're like hugging a teddy bear." I say. Peeta laughs.

"A teddy bear? Really?" I look up at him.

"Yes," I say. Mama claps her hands.

"Okay! Now that everyone is awake, who's going to help me with breakfast? And someone turn on the Macy's parade." Mama says.

That's right, it's Thanksgiving!

We have tons of traditions.

First, we make breakfast, and whoever doesn't help cook has to clean up after, and as we eat, we watch the parade. After everything is cleaned up, we go outside and have a massive snowball fight with the entire family, everyone in teams, and then we have oeuvres and then we get out all the ads and find everything we want and cut them out and tape them to papers to bring with us. We fill out what we're thankful for anonymously and put it in a basket. Then we, being the adults, send the kids outside and go through the Christmas lists and decide what we're getting for the kids, then we start dinner, which is the same, whoever doesn't help cook has to clean up after. We have dinner at the dining room table after getting the kids table from the garage. We all pray and dig in, and after everyone is done reading, we pass the basket with what we're thankful for around and then one person has to read one, and then we all have to guess who it is.

Johanna and I are the only ones that never take the thankful for thing seriously and we always put some joke. Last year, Johanna put condoms and I put tampons. Then we all take naps, and at eight, I start waking people up because I want to start my fucking shopping, so we have pie and then we all get the papers that have the ads on them and hightail it to Louisville and get shopping.

I rise to help Mama, and a lot of other people do to. We've all had thanksgiving together, it's just been thirteen years, we all remember how it works though. Prim gets out of helping, to which she's ecstatic. She made the sex be a surprise, but I'm so excited for my niece or nephew to be born. Mama chooses half of us, refusing to let Johanna and I work together because it always turns into a game. She doesn't let Peeta, Finnick or Annie help either, because it's the same.

I move to the kitchen and help Mama with a lot of other people. Opal and I start to turn it into a game and that's when mama kicks Opal out. We're both laughing. "Go! You two are like toddlers!" Mama shrieks. Opal is hysterical as she walks away. I make the toast, because it's the one thing I can't burn. I butter it up and make a ton of it and put them all on a plate in a cute arrangement.

'The parade is starting!" Daddy calls just as we finish.

"Come get your food!" mama calls. We all get our food and move to the living room to watch the parade. Peeta is happy to get a seat next to Finnick at the end of the couch so he's not next to anyone unwanted. I lean back against his legs as we eat and watch the parade. We all put out comments here and there.

A singer that everyone doesn't know comes on, but I recognize her.

"Who the hell is that?" Johanna asks.

"Ingrid Michaelson," I reply. Everyone looks at me in confusion.

"Who's that?" Peeta asks.

"She's a singer, you all know her, you just don't recognize her." I say.

"What's she sing?" Cinna asks curiously.

"The way I am," I say. I get a ton of blank stares in return. I sigh.

_If you were falling, then I would catch you  
You need a light, I'd find a match  
'Cause I love the way you say good morning  
And you take me the way I am_

_If you are chilly, here take my sweater  
Your head is aching, I'll make it better  
'Cause I love the way you call me, baby  
And you take me the way I am_

_I'd buy you Rogaine when you start losing all your hair  
Sew on patches to all you tear  
'Cause I love you more than I could ever promise  
And you take me the way I am  
You take me the way I am, you take me the way I am_

"Oh! I know that song! _She_ sings that?" Jo asks.

"I know that song, too." Peeta says.

"Same here," Finn says. Everyone nods in agreement.

"I didn't know she sang that." Mama says.

"Yup, she does." I set my plate on the coffee table and sit back.

The floats go on.

"And now Christina Perri will be performing!" The announcer guy on the TV says. **(I watch the Macys parade every year, and I watched it this year, too, but I'm putting other performers)**

"Oh hey, you love her, right?" Peeta asks, tapping my head.

"Yes," I smile.

"Come up here," he says. I take his plate and put it on the coffee table and then sit down on his lap. She starts to play the song, even though she's lip sinking. I immediately recognize the song as The Lonely.

"What's this song, if you love her so much?" Johanna challenges.

"The Lonely." I reply.

"I bet you fifty dollars that this song isn't the lonely." Johanna says smartly.

"Deal," I say plainly. We shake on it, and Peeta, along with everyone else exhales from irritation. We shake on it and I sit back, knowing I'm about to get fifty dollars from Johanna.

When her float passes, the guy says. "And that was Christina Perri, with _The Lonely_!" he exclaims. Johanna glares at me.

"Fuck you, Brainless." She tosses a fifty at me, and I just laugh.

'I don't want your fucking money, save it for tonight." I hand it back to her.

"Good," she stuffs it in her bra and sits back. When the parade ends, everyone that didn't help with breakfast has to go clean the kitchen. I get Peeta's seat and then eventually I go upstairs and get ready for a brutal snowball fight. I pull on tights and then pull on my jeans over top of them, and then pull on a tank top, a short sleeve shirt, a long sleeve shirt and my heavy jacket that's all white and it's a wool trench coat with black buttons. I braid my hair out of the way and pull on my white snow boots. My jeans are white too. I do this _every_ year. I wear complete white and pull up my white hood and hid and then attack. My team always wins because of it and everyone always tries to get on my team.

"Let's go Brainless!" Johanna shouts. I walk calmly downstairs and everyone groans loudly.

"Alright!" Mama says. We're all used to my actions by now. "Last time we did this, we were in the city and we didn't have much room. there's a park down the street from here with a soccer field, so we're going there. Let's get the teams. I'm picking captains." Mama says.

"Hell no you're not, I'm picking captains." Haymitch says. "Sweetheart, you're a captain, Peeta, you're a captain."

Peeta groans. "Well looks like I'm not winning this year." He grumbles.

"Prim, are you coming to the park? You can sit on the bench and watch." Mama says. Prim nods. The only thing that can possibly give me away is the black buttons and my olive skin. My hair gets tucked back.

"Okay, Sweetheart, pick two girls."

"Annie and Jo," I say.

"Fuck yeah Brainless!" Johanna high fives my left hand and Annie high fives my right.

"Peeta, two girls."

"Um…Opal and…Aunt Linda." Both of them get behind Peeta.

"Sweetheart, two guys."

"What!" Peeta protests.

"Finn and you." I say to Haymitch. Finn joins and Haymitch stays where he is.

"Peeta, who boys."

"Rye and Graham." Peeta says.

"Sweetheart, one girl."

"Faith," I say.

The lists keep building and before I know it, we're walking down the street to the park.

When we get to the park, I survey the area and see that I can hide in many places because the snow is uneven and I can duck behind piles of it.

"This is going to _suck_." Peeta moans. I just smirk and pull my hood up, hiding my braid and pulling my white gloves out of my pocket and my white ski mask.

"Oh god! This is not fair!" Peeta complains. I pull on the gloves and the ski mask.

"Brainless, your so fucking smart when it comes to this." Johanna says.

"Alright, everyone get on separate sides of the field." Haymitch orders. We all separate. We all wait for the captains instructions.

"Alright…the snows uneven, so hide behind anything you can to get some snowballs ready and then hit some people and duck again." I order.

"I'm in black." Annie says.

"I don't care, stick to those bushes because you'll blend in a little bit." I point at the bushes at the end of the field.

"What about me?" Finn asks. He's in green.

"I don't know…just keep getting people. I know you played baseball, so you've got a pretty decent throw."

Everyone hates not being on my team, and I'm always the target.

The goal is to hit everyone until they fall, and once everyone has fallen, their team is put.

"Ready?" I shout.

"Just a second, little miss impatient!" Peeta shouts back to me. I crack my knuckles.

"Katniss, I swear to god, a ski mask, seriously?" My dad, who is on my team, shakes his head. I just smirk.

"Alright," Peeta shouts. The captains have to go and shake hands. Normally the captains are the last two left. Prim has to have the video camera this year and she's watching the kids. She sets up the tripod and press play, giving me and Peeta a thumb up. I lift my ski mask to expose my face and walk towards him. He walks towards me and stares at me till we're standing in front of one another.

"You're going _down_." He says.

"Sure I am," I say.

"Okay, shake hands and let's get this show on the road!" Prim shouts. We shake hands and he kisses me on the lips.

"Don't hate me when you lose." He whispers.

"I won't, I love you." I say. He grins.

"I love you too."

We walk back to our teams and everyone makes a snowball.

"Ready?" Prim shouts.

"Yes!" we chant. A lot of people from the neighborhood have made it a tradition in their family to watch, and we're all familiar with one another and they've met the Mellarks on the fourth of July. A ton of people are here, waiting at the park behind Prim.

"Set…" she says. My team is poised to run. I pull my ski make down. "GO!" she screams. Everyone bolts forwards but I turn around the sprint to the end of the field, where theres a huge mound of snow. I duck behind it and make a ton and ton of snowballs. The people watching are cheering and my family is shouting at one another. Nobody will find me. I hear footsteps pounding towards me and I dive into the mound and hold my breath. Eventually, the footsteps, which I can tell are Peeta's, disappear. I'm almost out of oxygen, but I know he's gone, so I climb out. I peek over the mound to see most of my team is gone and most of his team are gone. All that's left is Rye and Peeta on the opposing team and me and Johanna on my team.

Rye gets out Johanna and I know it's two against one. I duck down further.

"Is Katniss out?" Peeta shouts.

"No! Where the fuck is she?" Graham shouts back. Everyone is looking around, but they can't find me. Rye starts to walk around. When he gets pretty close to me, I pick up my largest snowball, which is a chunk of ice now. Peeta look behind him, I stand up and peg the ball of ice at the back of Rye's head. He shouts a string of swears and I duck down again.

"What the fuck! Where the hell did that come from?" Rye shouts.

"You can't look for her, you fucking cheater, you're out!" Johanna screams. Rye groans and I peek over the mound to see him heading back towards the family and neighbors. Everyone is looking around. Peeta is wandering, poised to throw. I grab a ton of my snowballs and bolt for the trees.

"She's right there bro!" Rye screams. I dive into a bush covered in snow right before Peeta turns around.

"YOU CAN'T TELL HIM WHERE SHE IS!" Johanna shouts. Rye goes silent.

This is a small forest. Peeta starts heading towards where I just was, and I scale a tree and get up in the snow covered branches. He played football in high school and I played softball.

"Katniss!" he shouts, looking around. I covered my mouth with my hand and make sure I'm completely white. He walks past me and I climb down from the tree. He moves to the center of the field and I start to creep through the bushes. "Where the hell did she go?" he demands.

"I don't know, but she's one smart fucker." Johanna snickers and shakes her head. Peeta starts looking around, shouting my name or something to make me laugh. He does succeed and I burst out laughing and then shove my fist in my mouth, silencing myself. He starts to sprint towards me and I sprint forwards and out into the field. I dive into a mound of snow and everyone is shouting but they can't tell him where I am because that's cheating.

I make up mounds and mounds of snowballs and he comes out of the trees.

Now I get to expose myself, which is the best part.

He's in the middle of the field and I stand up, facing him. Everyone stops screaming and he whips around as I pull off the ski mask and stuff it in my pocket, giving him a sweet smile and an innocent wave. He waves back, but the suspense is in the air.

I won't make the first move because I'm stubborn, but he won't either because he's just as stubborn as I am.

"Hi baby," I say, standing now five feet from him.

"Hi…" he says. He keeps his eyes locked on me, poised to start the fight.

I can make him make the first move because I can act like I'm not paying attention. He never looks away from me.

The only time in will ever make the first move is when he looks away, but I know he won't.

Normally when someone else is captain, they get uncomfortable with staring directly into my eyes, but he won't, and I won't either.

We stare directly into each other's eyes for nearly ten minutes. If I make the first move, I'll get out because he'll see it coming.

So I start to think up a plan without looking away from his eyes.

If I so something to make him panic, as if I saw something, he'll look and see what it is.

So I'm going to do something to make him panic. I just don't know what yet.

Let's see…what makes Peeta panic?

Me cooking, that scares him because I'm not very skilled. He doesn't like me cooking without someone else.

He hates when I cry. That terrifies him.

That's what I'll do then. Johanna knows what I'm doing the second I do it. I let out a horrified scream and make myself burst into tears. His eyes fill with sheer panic and his hand is on my arm.

"What?" he asks.

"Nothing," I stop crying and nail him in the face. He tumbles backwards, slips and falls on his ass. It takes him a second to understand what happened.

"You…You tricked me!" he exclaims, grabbing my hand and pulling me down in the snow. "You tricked me!" he exclaims.

"I did," I say with a satisfied smile. Everyone is laugh, even people on his team. He's mad. "Don't forget that you can't live without me." I smile gently and he sighs.

"I want to hate you but it's impossible." He sighs and stands up. He pulls me to my feet as we all head back to the house. Mama and Effie put out the oeuvres and then we all flip through magazines of ads as we snack. Peeta will hardly look at me.

"Your such a fucking cheater without cheating." Johanna says.

"I know she is." Peeta grumbles.

"You know I was right up in that tree, right?" I ask comically. "And when you walked past that mound at the end of the field, yeah, I was in there."

"Are you serious?" he demands.

"Dead," I reply, gluing an ad of the Sims 3 to my paper. Mama begs to pass out pieces of notebook paper that all say

_I am thankful for_…

I chew on my pen for a long time, thinking.

Then I write down: _Family and friends…with __benefits_

_And that I'm not a turkey_

And then I flip it over and write: _one a more serious note…Peeta and chocolate…_

Then I fold it up quickly and make it so no matter what, you'll open it to the funny side first.

We do everything with the lists as the kids play outside.

Peeta and I get to help Mama with dinner this time, and he pushes me away from the oven and makes me set the table. He gets multiple glares from me.

"I'm not a baby, Peeta. I'm twenty three." I grumble.

"I know, but still." He begs. I sigh and start getting plates. I know if I break one, Mama will cry because these are from Great Grandma and she's not around anymore.

It takes a few hours, but around five we have dinner on the table and we're all saying grace.

I'm ecstatic that I don't have to sit at the kid table anymore.

Everyone is so engrossed in the food that we don't even speak.

When we're all done, I get up and get the basket.

"Am I starting it this year?" I ask.

"Go ahead." Mom says.

"Okay…" I grab the first one and unfold it. I immediately recognize the handwriting as Johanna's. "I am thankful for firting at red lights."

"Johanna," everyone says at once. I give her a high five and pass it on to my right, to Effie. Blight doesn't get angry because he knows she's playing.

"I'm thankful for family." She says.

We all look around, trying to guess who did that.

"I'm gonna go with Peeta." Mr. Mellark says. I shake my head.

"That wasn't Peeta…That was my mother." I say. She shakes her head.

"Aunt Lisa." Peeta says.

"Yes, that was me." she admits.

"Okay, moving on." Effie hands the basket to my Mama.

"I'm thankful for beer."

"Haymitch." I say.

"Yes." He says.

"Okay…I'm thankful for my two beautiful daughters." Daddy reads.

"Mom," Prim and I say together. Mama nods.

"It's like you watch everyone read them." Peeta says.

"It's easy to figure it out. Watch the faces."

The basket keeps getting passed. Alex gets it before Prim.

"I'm thankful for Alex and the lil' shit inside of me." Alex reads.

"Prim," everyone says together. She just smirks and nods.

"Okay, I have no clue who's left," Peeta says. "But theirs seven left." He grabs one and neatly unfolds it and lays it flat in front of him. "I'm thankful for…" he rolls his eyes. "Family and friends…with benefits. And that I'm not a turkey." He knows its mine, but doesn't say it is.

"That was Brainless," Johanna says over everyone's laugher.

"There's more." I flip the page over.

Everyone goes silent, waiting for Peeta to read the rest. "On a more serious note, Peeta and Chocolate." People start laughing again, because of course I put chocolate. Effie gets it again because we have to finish off the seven. The kids don't read it, that's just how it works.

"I'm thankful for sex." Johanna says. Everyone begins to laugh.

"Graham," Peeta and I say together.

Effie gets it.

"Food." She says. "hey erased that they're thankful for."

"Rye," I say. He just smirks.

We continue to pass it around.

"Okay, this is the last one." Finn announces. "I'm thankful for Katniss."

"Oh, I wonder who that could be!" Johanna says sarcastically. Everyone is staring at Peeta, and he's acting like he didn't put it.

"It was Peeta," I smile. He just shrugs.

Since Peeta and I helped with dinner, we don't have to help clean up.

"You have until eight to nap! If you aren't awake by then, we're having pie without you!" I shout. I'm normally the one in charge of everything with black Friday. I pull Peeta upstairs, stopping at the bathroom and thankful to find my period is gone.

I join him in my room.

"I'm going to shower really quick and then I'll come in here, okay?" I ask. He nods and yawns. "Sleep, okay?" I ask. He nods again.

I walk off to the bathroom. I shower quickly and just wrap myself in a towel, blow dry my hair and go back to my room. He's not asleep, instead he's watching TV. I lock the door so I can change into some type of clothing. "I thought I told you to sleep?" I ask, getting down on my knees on the floor to find some clothes.  
"Are you off your period?" he asks.

"Yes, why?" I ask.

"Well…" he begins.

'We're not having sex, Peeta. We need to sleep so we can stay up late." I say. he groans.

"Fine!" he rolls over.

I sigh and pull on my bra and underwear, my ratty old t-shirt I've had since college and my pajama pants. I set the alarm for seven fifty. It's only six now, so we have a hour and fifty minutes to sleep. He just glares at the wall and refuses to look at me. I have to ask him, because it's been bothering me. Ever since our small argument yesterday, he's been snapping at me on and off.

"As you falling out of love with me?" I whisper. He slowly rolls back over to face me. My arms are crossed and I have tears welling in my eyes. He shuts off the TV.

"What?" he whispers.

"I said are 'you falling out of love with me?'." I repeat. He sits up.

"What?" he asks.

"Don't make me say it again." I say.

"Katniss, no, of course I'm not falling out of love with you. I love you so much, Katniss, don't think like that." He stands up and walks over me. "Don't ever think like that." He hugs me. I can't help but break down in his arms.

…..s…..

When I wake, it's because Peeta is standing in front of me, my phone in his hand. He waits for my alarm to wake me, and then he shuts it off. I don't know why I was so upset earlier…I know he loves me, but I guess everyone has their moments of doubt.

"I changed your alarm time…if that's okay." He whispers.

"What time is it?" I mumble, running my hands over my face.

"It's only seven thirty…" he admits.

I notice his hands are behind his back. I sigh and run my hands over my face again.

"What's behind your back?" I mumble.

"Well…" he pulls out a huge bouquet of roses, with some pink ones in the middle that form a heart. Then there's red ones everywhere else.

"I got these for you." he admits. They're in a vase. He sets them on my bedside table. I stand up.

"I love you. You're so sweet." I mumble.

PEETA'S POV

I realize that since we got into that argument yesterday, I've kind of been a bitch to her. I love her more than anything or anyone and she's my entire world, but I was a bitch to her, and I made her think I was falling out of love, and she couldn't stop crying for almost an hour.

And now I feel like a complete and utter ass and I'm going to do anything in my power to make her feel amazing.

She stands up when I give her the roses. She says she loves me and tells me I'm sweet.

"I love you too, Katniss." I whisper. I'm not going to tell her I spent three hundred dollars on those roses, because she'll feel bad, but she's worth more than three hundred dollars.

She's worth more than all the money Bill Gates has, than all the money in the world. She's worth more than the president of the United States. She's worth more than anything. I give her a soft, loving, slow, long gentle kiss. I pull away from her. "I love you," I whisper, hugging her.

"I love you too," she mumbles.

…..s….

KATNISS'S POV

Okay, now I feel like an ass for overreacting. I mean, we did have sex last night, and I know he does love me.

He keeps saying it, too, as we eat dessert, as we drive to Lousiville.

Johanna and I shove people out of the way to get what we want.

"Katniss, do you have this?" Peeta asks, holding up a Christina Perri album.

"No, but-" he tosses it in the cart.

"Want this?" he holds up a phone case for my phone. It's really cute, too."

"It's cute, but-" I start. He tosses it into the cart. "Peeta, don't waste any more money on me." I say.

"I'm not wasting anything," he replies. I sigh. "Am I upsetting you?" he whispers.

"No, it's just-" some cunt walks up and takes my iPad right out of the cart. Peeta looks shocked. I storm over to them and rip it right out of their hands. "No bitch, this is mine." I snap, going back to the cart and putting it back. We walk down the aisle, having lost Johanna and Blight somewhere in the music department and Finn and Annie in the clothes. There's so many people. We're at Walmart right now.

Once you've separated, there isn't any finding each other again.

"This is cute," I say. I'm looking at some boots. I grab them and find my size, tossing them in the cart.

"This is pretty damn fun," he admits.

"Hell yeah it is," I grin. He gets a pair of Nikes and tosses them in the cart, and a new t-shirt.

We do meet up with Finn and Annie again, and in the checkout, Johanna and Blight too. I decide not to get the iPad here and set it down in a rack of clothing.

Together, Peeta and I only spend about two hundred dollars.

We're taking my truck so we can put big stuff in the bed. We toss our stuff in and head to Bust Buy.

"Alright, this place is the worst…we have to get our stuff and get the hell out." I say. "Keep your phone on full blast."

We head inside and I almost immediately get pushed over. Peeta steadies me, glaring at the person that shoved me. I grab his hand and elbow my way through the crowd, pulling him behind me with a tight grip on his hand.

We stop in front of the eighty inch TV. It's the last one and someone is one their way over here to get it, glaring at us.

"Shit Peeta, get it!" I exclaim. We work together to lift it up into the cart.

"Uh that was mine." A girl hisses. I know that voice. I didn't tell Peeta. That's the only thing I never told him. I turn around. Glimmer, the bitch that bullied me in high school.

"Glimmer," I snarl.

"Skank," she replies. Peeta's eyes grow confused and pissed. "That's mine." She says, pointing at the TV.

"no it's not, actually, but thanks." I smile and pull Peeta away.

"Who was that?" he demands as I get the best, most expensive headphones you can possibly buy. I toss them in the cart, and add three more. One is for Peeta's cousin Brandon, Aunt Lisa's son, and the other two are for Peeta and I. I said that Peeta and I would get the earbuds for him. They're normally sixty dollars but they're twenty.

"Just a person." I lie.

"Katniss, you knew her, who was that?" he asks.

"It was nobody Peeta," I insist. I grab the iPad air and add that to the cart, and the Sims 3, and a ton of movies I've wanted to see, or have seen.

"Oh, don't forget this." He hands me Silver Linings Playbook, with Jennifer Lawrence. I add it to the cart and shove more people to get to the stereo system to make the TV like a movie theater. Glimmer is heading for it again, but once again, we get it first and move to the checkout before she can kill us.

"Wait, the computer and the moniter!" he exclaims when we're two people from the register.

"Go! Hurry up and get it!" I exclaim. When I get to the checkout, he comes back with both the computer and the monitor.

We spend six thousand at Best Buy and have four thousand left for Christmas.

Peeta and I load up the bed of the truck and wait for Jo, Blight, Ann and Finn.

Prim has absolutely nothing for the baby, Alex is with her because she's supposed to be on bed rest and he can't get to the store. I get out of the car and Peeta gives me a confused look and follows me to Babies R Us, because this is a small outlet mall.

"Prim and Alex?" he questions.

"Yes," I reply. It's very busy here, too. "She doesn't have a thing, not even a sock. Let's stock her up, stick to in between, okay? I think we'll be okay to separate. Either these people are pregnant or old or confused husbands." I say. Peeta laughs.

"Okay," he kisses my cheek, grabs a cart and disappears. I go to the cribs and find one with yellow on it, which is perfect. It's really nice quality, too, but I can't lift it, I'll probably break my neck. I see a guy with a list walking down the aisle.

"Excuse me?" I ask. He turns around. "Can you help me out?" I ask.

"Depends," he worries his bottom lip. "Can you help me out?"

"Sure," I say. He lifts the crib I want in the bottom of the cart.

"Okay, are you even pregnant?" he asks.

"No…my sister is though, and she's on bed rest, due next week. She doesn't have a thing so my fiancé and I are going to surprise her." I say.

"Oh…well my fiancé is six and a half months with twin girls and I don't have a fucking clue what I'm doing. What do babies need? What the hell is Desitin?" he asks.

"Desitin? That's the butt cream." I laugh, heading towards the creams. He follows me. I pause and grab a huge thing of diapers, and then toss in three more.

"Do I need those?" he nods at the diapers, and I start laughing.

"Those are diapers. You need those desperately." I say as I get a four pack of Desitin and toss it in my own cart. "Here, Desitin," I smile and hand it to him and toss it in my own cart.

I start grabbing random things and tossing them over my shoulder into the cart. He gets everything I'm getting. I get bottles and pacifiers and that snot thing and creams and formula and a stroller. Every single thing I get, he gets to.

"So what's your name?" he asks. He isn't flirting, he's just being friendly. He's engaged, for crying out loud.

"Katniss, whats yours?" I ask.

"I'm Gale, nice to meet you Catnip." He sticks his hand out. I laugh.

"It's Katniss," I shake his hand. "Katniss Everdeen soon-to-be Mellark." I say.

"Just Gale Hawthorne," he laughs and I smile and start grabbing random toys.

Peeta meets up with us when we're in a heavy conversation about high school, and I'm laughing because he said that he fell down the stairs and broke his ankle, and his fiancé, Madge Undersee, found him. That's how they met.

"So do you live here in Kentucky?" I ask as I dig through Peeta's cart.

"No, in New York City, but my family and her family lives here, so we're here for the holiday." He admits.

"Really? We live in New York City, too." I say.

"We're forgetting something-oh! Changing Table and the rocking chair!" I exclaim.

"And high chair," Peeta says.

"That too," Gale follows us to the changing tables and the high chairs and the rocking chairs.

"Hey, I'm Peeta Mellark," Peeta smiles. Gale shakes his hand.

"Gale Hawthorne," he says kindly. I can tell Peeta approves.

I find the changing table, and both Peeta and Gale get it down, refusing to let me help them. They get down another for Gale and then do the same for the high chair.

"Do we have everything?" Peeta asks. We pass the clothes on the way to the checkout and I stop, picking up a onesie that says "_This kid" _with thumbs pointed at the baby that'll wear it, "_love their aunt_" I toss that in. Then another that says "_I get my awesomeness from my aunt" _ and I toss that in. Then I get "_my aunt is the shiznet_" and add that, then I get "_I'd rather be with my aunt" _and then I get "_What happens at Auntie's stays at Auntie's_" and then "_My Aunt is my BFF"_

"Okay, now we have everything." I smile and toss them all in, "But one for Prim," I get one for Prim that says "_Daddy and I agree: MOMMY is the BOSS"_

But then I see a blanket that says "_I'm banana's about my Aunt" _and I just have to get it.

"Okay, let's get the hell out of here before I see another-oh my god, this too!" I toss in a white one that says "_I love my Mommy & Daddy but my Auntie is the greatest"_

"And this, because this is clear," Gale holds up a shirt that says "_My fingers may be small, but I've already got Auntie"_ There's a space for you to sew the Aunt's name in "_wrapped around them_"

"Shit yes! Peeta, let's wrap all of this when we get to my parents and I'll sew Katniss in there!" I exclaim.

He just snickers and takes the shirt from Gale, tossing it in.

"Get something for Alex, at least." He says. "Oh wait, no, I did already." He shake his head.

….a….

We bought a ton of wrapping paper and bows and went home, because Jo, Blight, Annie and Finn were done anyways.

The six of us stayed up until ten with the bedroom door locked. Everyone is downstairs, all of them awake. They've came upstairs a million times but we refuse to open the door, especially not for Alex and Prim.

Peeta and I finish the crib. "Alright…want to block the door with the dresser, get some sleep and then take this downstairs and have them open them?" I ask. Everyone nods and we all pass out on the bed.

…s…

I'm the last to wake, and everyone is watching TV.

"Let's get these downstairs." I yawn. It's eight at night.

We open the door and start to carry the gifts downstairs one by one. Peeta and I bought boxes for everything so even the clothes are in boxes. Everyone goes dead silent as we come up and down the stairs, putting all the gifts on the floor after Johanna and I move the coffee table.

'What the fuck is going on?" Graham demands.

Peeta and Finnick come down with the huge crib, Blight behind them with Johanna with the changing table and then Annie and I with the rocking chair.

"Would someone please explain?" Mama asks.

"Is that all of them?" I ask.

"Um…" Peeta frowns. "Hang on," he jogs upstairs and comes down with the one I know is the high chair.

"Someone explain!" Rye shouts in irritation. Johanna, Finnick, Annie and Blight sit down. They all refused to take credit for a thing, even though they helped wrap all of it.

"Okay…so…Prim, Alex," I begin.

"This is an early Christmas present from Katniss and I." Peeta finishes.

"All of it?" Prim asks, rising to her feet with the help of Alex.

"Every single bit of it." I say, sitting down on the arm of the couch. It was a little over four thousand, which cut out of the black Friday account a bit, but neither one of us minded.

"Katniss, Peeta, this stuff has to be expensive." Prim says.

"Oh just shut up and open them." I say.

"Which one?" Prim asks.

"It doesn't matter." Peeta says. He sits down next to me on the couch. I get the dining room chair for Prim and Alex just sits on the floor. They go to open the one filled with all the Auntie stuff.

"Wait, don't open that yet," I take the box from Prim's hand.

"I thought you said I could open whatever the hell I wanted to, Katniss. That's so rude of you." Prim hisses. Her mood is through the roof because she's pregnant, and it's honestly hilarious.

"Oh just shut up and open another," I say.

"Let's open that one first." Alex points to the one that contains the crib.

"Kay," Prim says. Together, they shed the paper off the crib, and both of their jaws drop, along with everyone else. "Jesus Christ," Prim mutters. "You guys are life savers." Peeta and I smile. They open up the changing table next.

They start to rip all the stuff open, and when they're done, Prim's hysterical.

"Wait, now this one. This is my personal favorite," I smile and hand her the one that has all the Aunt stuff in it.

Prim rips it open and takes the top off. She starts laughing through her tears as she reads each one of them out loud. She cries harder and hugs both of us. "I swear to god, i can't repay you." Prim says.

"Make the baby wear the auntie clothes and your debt is paid." I say.

"How did you find this one? I mean…no offense Katniss, but your name isn't really common." Prim says. It's the one that now says "_My fingers may be small, but I've already got Auntie Katniss wrapped around them."_

"I sewed my name onto it." I say. She stands up again, but her face contorts in pain and she starts to fall. Alex isn't paying attention, and it seems that I am the only one that is. I spring up and grab both her hands. Alex hurries us and helps her back onto her feet. Her eyes are wide with sheer panic. That's when I notice the puddle of water that I'm standing in.

"Your water just broke." I say. She starts to nod like crazy.


	10. Chapter 10

It's three in the morning and my body won't shut off. Prim has been in labor for seven hours, and Mama is delivering her. She comes downstairs and everyone still awake sits up.  
"She's going to be in labor for a while, and the baby probably won't be born until tomorrow morning, tomorrow being December first." She says.  
"Well I'm not moving." I say.  
"I don't expect you to." She says. She goes back upstairs. Peeta taps my knee.  
"I have a plan," he whispers.

…s…

We went home, and by home, I mean New York. We dropped everything that's ours off at home and then we went to Prim and Alex's house. Its only six in the morning. He stopped at Home Depot and got some paint. I pull on a ratty old T-Shirt as he begins to paint the room I know they're setting as the nursery. In August, they moved from their apartment to a house.  
He does yellow, because that's both Prim and Alex's favorite color.  
We sing together without any music as I set up everything and unpack it all. Peeta paints the whole room a soft yellow, and my nine at night, we've set up the whole nursery.  
We open up the window and leave.  
….s…

I have paint on my jeans and hands when we get back to Kentucky at the hospital at eight. I haven't slept in twenty four hours.  
I don't sleep again. Peeta begs for me to sleep. Everyone does, actually, but I'm so tired that I get snippy.  
"Shut up. I'm not going to sleep, now leave me alone." I snarl. Peeta silence, because he knows better, but nobody else does.  
"Katniss, I swear to god, go to sleep or-" Haymitch begins.  
"Shut up! I'm not going to sleep! Leave me the fuck alone, my sister is in labor for fucks sake!" Everyone gives up.

…s…

Prim doesn't have the baby the next morning, and before I know it, it's been forty eight hours since I've slept. I'll occasionally get a glare from Peeta. He's mad at me because I refuse to sleep. Everyone is pissed at me because I refuse to sleep.  
Mama comes downstairs.  
'Aunt Lillian, please tell your stupid, stubborn ass daughter to go the fuck to sleep." Johanna says.  
"No," Mama says. "Katniss, Prim had the baby and she won't let anyone come up until you've seen the baby." She says. I get up. "And then Peeta, take Katniss home to New York and knock her unconscious."  
"I'm not going home after this." I say stubbornly.  
"Yes you are. Prim said you can't see the baby after now until you've completely made up the forty eight hours. She said she'll be home by then, and Peeta is to judge how much sleep you've had." I groan and let her lead me down the hall.  
She heads left and I follow her. We walk into a quiet room. Alex is at her bedside, and Prim is awake, but exhausted. There's a tiny baby in her arms.  
"His name is Chase Spencer Payte." She says. Alex's last name is Payte.  
"His?" I repeat.  
"It's a boy." She smiles and sits up, moving her feet and patting the spot in front of her. I sit down and she carefully places my nephew in my arms. "Seven pounds and eight ounces." Prim whispers. I can help but cry as I hold him. My mother, Alex and Prim are all smiling. I make sure to keep my tears from his face. He's sucking his thumb and his eyes are shut, but he has Alex's dark hair. "Mama, can you go and get Peeta? They need to go home so Katniss can sleep." Prim says.  
I never want to put him down. He moves his feet and opens his eyes. He's got Prim's blue eyes.  
"He's got your eyes," I whisper to Prim. She smiles and nods excitedly.  
Peeta walks into the room, and I scoot closer to Prim. He sits down next to me. I'm silent for a long time, but then I remember he probably wants to hold him.  
"Oh, do you want to hold him?" I ask. He nods his head.  
"His name is Chase Spencer Payte," Prim whispers. I hand Chase to Peeta, who stares at him.

PEETA'S POV

As I hold my practically nephew, I realize something. I want to get married to Katniss as soon as possible, because I'm ready for a baby.  
Chase is the most adorable baby I have ever seen in my entire life, and I want to have a baby with Katniss.  
"Okay, you need to get her to sleep." Prim says. I hand her back Chase, and then have to practically drag Katniss out of the hospital.

….a…

She's passed out on the floor. I dropped her off at home and then went grocery shopping. I carry all the groceries into the house, feeding Godiva after putting everything away. I knew she was close to falling unconscious. I still remember when that whole thing with her pregnant student happened and she went a whole twenty four hours without sleep and she fell unconscious. She's been up for forty eight hours, more now, because it's eight in the morning on December second. She hasn't slept a wink in three days, like forty six hours or something. I've slept eight hours every night, so I'm rested and ready to go. I try to wake her, but she doesn't stir, and that's how I know she's unconscious.  
I lift her into my arms and her head hangs back and I know it hurts her. I carry her to our bedroom and strip her down to her bra and underwear before tucking her into bed, kissing her lips and going out to the livng room.  
I set up the TV, the computer, the desk we got at Walmart, the moniter, the stero system. I go in to check on her and she hasen't moved. A pang of worry flashes in my chest, but I brush it off. She's been out for two days, she's perfectly fine.

…..s…..

I wake up three times that night and check on her. She hasn't moved a finger. At ten in the morning, she's still out of it. It's been twenty four hours. I'm beginning to panic, and I try to rouse her but she doesn't move.  
At eight at night, she's still out of it.  
I pace around for a while.  
The next morning, which has now been over forty eight hours, she's still completely out of it.  
I try to calm myself down, but I can't. She's not waking up. I even pour water on her, but she doesn't stir. I panic when she doesn't move after the water and dial Mrs. Everdeen.  
"Hello-"  
"She won't wake up." I exclaim, pacing around the living room.  
"Who?" She asks.  
"Katniss! She's been unconscious for three days!"  
"Three days! Peeta, why the hell are you waiting till now to tell me?" She exclaims.  
"Because she was tired and I thought she was fine!" I exclaim.  
"Okay, I'm at Prim's with everyone. I'm coming."  
I pace around the living room. Johanna walks into the house first and dumps a bucket of water all over her. She still doesn't move.  
"Did you check her pulse?" Mrs. Everdeen demands. Everyone is in our bedroom.  
"Yes, I've tried everything to wake her! She just won't wake up." I panic.  
Mrs. Everdeen checks her heart with a stethoscope. She does a ton of things. "I don't understand." She sighs. "She doesn't have anything wrong with her." She goes as far as taking some blood from her. "She she's perfectly healthy. Has she even moved?"  
"No. She hasn't even moved a finger." I run my hands over my face, more stressed than ever.  
"Maybe she froze to death." Rye jokes. I smack him upside the head for that one.  
"That's not fucking funny, you asshole!" I shout at him. "Why won't she wake up?" I demand.  
I shake her shoulder viciously but she doesn't move.  
"Oh, I've got it." Johanna climbs onto the soaked bed, pull the covers off her, not caring that she's in her bra and underwear, and shoves her right off the bed. And then she pours the water bottle at my bedside all over her.  
Are you fucking kidding me? She groans and puts her hand to her forehead, looking around the room before sitting up. "What are you guys doing?" She demands, rising to her feet. "Why am I soaked, why is the bed soaked, where the hell are my clothes and why are you guys looking at me like I've just risen from the dead? And what the hell was I on the floor for?" she demands.  
"Katniss…you've been unconscious for four days at six tomorrow morning." I say. She frowns.  
"No I haven't…" she's confused.  
"Yes you have. You're soaked because Johanna and I both poured water on you. You haven't moved a finger in a few days, and you were on the floor because Johanna shoved you on the floor. And what we're doing is trying to wake you." I say.  
"Oh god, that means I haven't showered either, oh my god that's disgusting. Don't even try to kiss me." she walks out of the room and I hear the bathroom door slam.  
"Unbelievable." I mutter.  
This sucks now. Everyone won't leave and I really have to talk to Katniss. I hear Katniss cry out in pain and I turn around and walk right into the bathroom.  
"What happened?" I demand.  
"I turned the water too hot and I burnt my back." She admits. "Is it red?" She pulls back the curtain and shows me her whole backside, and I'm tempted to join her in the shower, but everyone is here.  
"Yeah, it's red." I say. She sighs and covers herself again.  
"You can join me, if you'd like." She says. I sigh.  
"I would like, but I can't." I reply. She sticks her head out if the curtain.  
"Why not?" She demands. I wipe some soap off her forehead because it's about to drip into her eye.  
"Because everyone is here and-" she kisses me, stepping out of the shower and ripped my clothes off.  
"You guys can leave now! You'll be scared if you don't, we're in our house and we're not going to wear clothes when we're finished." She shouts. I hear a lot of our family groan and then the front door slams.  
"Go make sure they're gone." She orders. I do as she says, and come back, shedding the rest of my clothes, leaving the bathroom door open.  
"Front door is locked." I say.  
Shes connects our lips again.

...&...

KATNISS'S POV

I'm laying on top of him and we're just staring into one another's eyes. We're in our bed, which is still soaked from the water.  
"Your so beautiful." He whispers, kissing me again. I smile and rest my head on his chest. He has one hand on my lower back and one on my head. "Can we talk about something important?" He asks.  
I look up at him, showing him I'm listening. "Okay..." I ask.  
"Well when I was holding Chase...I realized that I really love him, and I want that with us." He gets up and pulls on his boxers. I pull on my panties and one of his t-shirts.  
"What do you mean?" I ask.  
"When do you want to get married?" He asks. I shrug, because I don't know. I do know I want to get married as soon as possible.  
"Soon..." I say.  
"With the help of our family, how fast do you think we can plan a wedding?" He asks.  
"I dunno...two weeks, especially with Cinna and Effie helping." I say.  
"Let's get married in two weeks." He says. He's dead seriously.  
"Okay..." I say.  
"Katniss, I'm ready to be completely yours. I'm ready to take the two last steps." He says.  
"What are the two last steps?" I ask.  
"Well marriage..." He says. "And then a baby Katniss. I want a baby." I stare at him. "Do you? I'll wit forever, Katniss."  
"Yes. I've wanted a baby since I was fourteen." I admit.  
"Well...let's get that wedding planned then." He smiles.


	11. Chapter 11

"Two weeks!" Effie exclaims. I'm lying on Prim's couch with Chase and I refuse to give him up. He's lying on my chest and he's holding onto my index finger with on hand and is sucking his thumb with the other.  
"Two weeks." I repeat.  
"Come on guys, please? Help us?" Peeta asks.  
Always the sweet talker.  
"Fine. Okay, fine!" Effie stands up and pulls her notebook from her bag. "I need a budget."  
"Peeta, you can choose that." Chase starts crying. I know he needs changed. Prim starts to get up.  
"No. You deprived me for three days. You can sit down and stay there." I say. I take Chase to the nursery and change his diaper, and his clothes to the auntie one that I sewed my name into and cradle him back to sleep. Then I go back to the living room and lay back down.  
"Okay, fine. Where do you want the wedding?" Peeta asks.  
Central Park. That's where we got separated and for some reason, it makes sense to have it there.  
"Central Park?" Peeta asks.  
"You took the words right out of my mouth."

...9...

I'm dragged all over the city for a week straight. Peeta hardly helps because the groom never really does. Prim is my Maid of Honor, Johanna is my matron of honor, Annie is my number one Bridesmaid, Faith is my number two bridesmaid, and Opal is number three. Peeta set Finnick as the best man, Rye as number one groomsmen, Graham as number two, and Brandon, his cousin, as number three.  
The wedding is December nineteenth. We're not having a honeymoon. We are staying home for Christmas this year and everyone is coming to us.  
Friday night, when I get home from getting my dress, getting it size and everything, one week before the wedding, Peeta takes me out and we get our tree.  
Together, we rearrange the living room and put up the tree while listening to music. We wrap the tree in lights, and he begins to string my in lights. I'm laughing up a storm. He turns them on and lights me up. Then he shuts off every light in the house and pulls the curtains. He takes a picture of me and I pose for him.  
We both are smiling and playing around. We decorate the tree, and then just stare at it. I've been going all day, and we haven't had sex in a full week which has never happened since I got this ring on.  
I yawn, because I'm exhausted.  
"I think I'm gonna go to bed." I say.  
"Me too." He follows me. I know he's missing having sex with me, but I'm not going to unless he tries something. I lay down and he just sighs and stares into my eyes. "I love you," he gives me a gentle kiss. We haven't had a real kiss in a week either. I get up at dawn and get home at ten or eleven and pass out. We have little pecks goodbye. He must be thinking the same thing as me.  
"I love you too," I whisper. He stares at me again, and then he kisses me, much more frantic, almost as if he thinks I'm going to push him away. I melt into the kiss, and things begin to intensity.

...9...u

My alarm goes off at six, and I really just want to stay in his arms forever. He gives me a long, gentle kiss. I sigh and get up, pulling on clothes and my jacket, brushing my teeth and hair after downing some bread. I give him a kiss goodbye, and then head out.  
I'm dragged all over. I get the flowers taken care of and everything else. I get home at midnight and fall asleep on the couch.

I wake in bed to my alarm. I kiss Peeta goodbye, and with a sigh, I head out again.

...9...

Before I know it, it's Wednesday night. The whole family is here. All the guys are going to Finnick's and then tomorrow to the bachelor party except for Chase and us girls are staying here.  
"Alright, get out." Effie exclaims. I give Peeta a long, sweet kiss goodbye.  
"See you at the altar." He smiles and heads out.  
"I love you too!" I shout. I laugh and lay down.  
"Can you believe it Katniss! You're getting married!" Prim exclaims.  
"Love you!" He calls. Tomorrow is the bachelorette party, too.  
"I know," I smile.  
Peeta and I actually invited Gale and his fiancé, because we wanted to. We invited everyone from my high school except for Glimmer, and everyone from his high school, too.

...$...

Johanna forces me into some slutty outfit and they all pull me to a strip club. I'm getting married tomorrow and I'm flipping out.  
My family were idiots for putting Johanna in charge of this. A ton of guys in hardly any clothes are doing very inappropriate things. Gale is babysitting all if the kids with his fiancé, and much to Prim's reluctance, Chase too.  
The club gets shut down for just us. Johanna keeps getting me grinded upon by guys and I try my best to ignore, because it's very distracting.  
"Katniss, come on!" Prim exclaims. "You can move! Work that ass! We won't tell Peeta!" All the girls shout in agreement with Prim.  
I really don't want to.  
"Come on! He won't get mad! He's probably doing the same shit you are!"

PEETA'S POV

Finnick forces me to go along with the girls grinding against me.  
I really just hope Katniss doesn't hate me when I tell her.

KATNISS'S POV

I hate this. I stand there awkwardly as three guys try to hard to get me moving.  
I hope Peeta doesn't hate me after this...  
I begin to get so uncomfortable that I just move with them to one, shut up the girls and to try and get these fuckers away from me.  
"I'll move with you, but if you kiss me or do anything other than this, I'll break your fucking necks, understand boys?" I demand.  
"Yes Ma'am!" They chant together. The girls are screaming as I return the nasty favor, and after a while, Johanna saves me and takes my spot. She doesn't care she's dating Blight. She let's go, and it's hilarious to watch.  
A lot of the girls that are single pay to get treated, and it's honestly disgusting to hear about. I sit down next to Prim.  
"This is gross." I admit.  
"But are you having fun?" She asks.  
"Yes, but still..." I say.

...9...

We stay in a hotel down the street from the strip club. I know Peeta is staying across the street. All the girls are fast asleep, but I'm nervous and excited and lonely without Peeta. I rise and go onto the balcony.  
After nearly an hour, I know I'm not ding any favors for Cinna tomorrow, because he's doing my hair and makeup. He does it for a living with his three stylists, Flavius, Veniva and Octavia.  
I go into the hotel and take some NyQuil.

...9...

"Didn't I tell you to get as much sleep as possible?" Cinna asks, tilting my chin up to inspect my face.  
"I know Cinna, I'm really sorry, I just-"  
"Stop," he whispers. "It's okay Katniss, I get it. Your nervous and couldn't sleep. You have nothing to be nervous for though." He says as he begins to work on me.  
"I have a lot of things to be nervous about." I mumble.  
"Like what?" He whispers.  
"Falling, breaking my neck, dying because of it," he laughs and I smile. "No seriously though, falling. I'm definitely nervous to fall. Oh, and stepping on my dress and ripping it. That seems like something I'll do. Or Peeta saying no. That's what really kept me up. Or someone objecting."  
"Katniss, why in gods name are you scared about Peeta saying no? That's like one and an infinitely chance, and even then, that's pushing it. Peeta loves you more than anything in the entire universe. He is not going to say no. And if someone objects...well, then someone objects." He shrugs. "Besides, the phrase 'speak now or forever hold your peace' has become obsolete. Don't worry about it." He says.  
"Well I'm still nervous." I mumble.  
"I would be, too. I was Katniss, I was so nervous to marry Portia. About everything. Like something wouldn't fit me, or she was going to say no, or I'd slip up and say something stupid-"  
"Stop! You're going to give me a heart attack." I gasp, putting my hand over my heart.  
What if the dress doesn't fit?  
What if I slip up and say something retarted?  
What if I fall?  
What if I step on the dress and rip it?  
What if he finds out that I moved with those guys? What then?  
What if he says no?

PEETAS POV

I don't even have to do much of anything to get ready, just put on a tux and let Portia do something to my hair. She's doing my hair now and my knee is bouncing nervously.  
If if she says no?  
That's the only think I can think about. What if she thinks something and it completely changes her mind?  
What if she finds out that I moved along with those girls last night?  
I will forever hate myself for that.  
"She isn't going to say no, Peeta." Portia says. She moves in front of me. "Listen...she's freaking out about the same things you are. About how she was forced by Johanna to move with the guys that night, about you saying no, about how she's scared to fall, about stepping on the dress and ripping it. Peeta, she's horrified for the stupidest things in the world."  
She had to move with those guys last night?  
She's never actually done that to me, and I can imagine how fucking sexy she looks doing it, and I want her to do it to me. I'm not even pissed she did it to those guys first. She will be MY wife in a few hours and I HAVE already seen her naked and taken a shower with her and had sex with her.  
Portia laughs for some reason. "You know what she told them? She said 'I'll move with you, but if you kiss me or do anything other than this, I'll break your fucking necks, understand boys?'."  
"That sounds exactly like Katniss." I smile. I can imagine those words leaving her lips and it makes me smiles. "And I did tell the girls that Katniss will personally hunt them down and kill them and if do anything other than that."  
Portia smiles and goes back to my hair.  
"How do you know what she was scared for?" I ask.  
"Because I've been texting Cinna." She replies.

KATNISS'S POV

"Okay Katniss, let's get you into your dress." He says. I've been in my bra and underwear the whole time. I rise, and we walk over to my dress. It's ruffled from the waist all the way down and from the waist up its white with a silver type band going around my middle. It's strapless, with a sweetheart neckline. I don't need a bra for it. Cinna turns around while I take off my bra and carefully get into the dress.  
"Okay, you can turn." I whisper. He turns around and the zipper goes up, holding me in. it fits perfectly, and it doesn't even feel like it's going to slip. My hair was curled and then pinned up in the back. It's very hard to explain.  
(Katniss's wedding dress and hair will be in a link in my bio, along with the makeup one, Katniss' engagement and wedding ring, and Peeta's wedding ring, and the earrings are on the girl that has the hair done!)  
I have in diamond earrings, too. Cinna takes off my engagement ring and moves it to my right hand.  
"You can put it back on after the ceremony." He whispers.  
"It feels weird there, and my hand is too bare." I whisper. He just smiles. I'm not complaining, just saying.  
"You look beautiful, Katniss." He whispers. I smile. Someone knocks loudly on the door.  
"Come on, we're going to be-oh my goodness!" Effie begins. It's Mama, Effie, Johanna, Annie, Faith, Opal and Prim.  
"Oh Katniss," Mama whispers, her eyes welled with tears as she walks over to me.  
"Don't worry, your makeup is waterproof." Cinna whispers.  
"You look amazing!" Opal exclaims.  
Mama hugs me, careful not to mess anything up. Effie does the same.  
"Peeta is going to shit himself when he sees you, if I do say so myself," Johanna hugs me, too. "You grew up good, kid." She punches my arm and I smile. I've got tears in my eyes, but not enough to spill. Effie looks at the time, and she starts to flip out.  
"If we get to the car in three minutes, we'll be at central park in ten, and then you will be walking down the aisle in fifteen or twenty, let's go, let's bring you to Peeta!"  
Last night was the longest night of my life, and I'm ecstatic that I can finally see Peeta.  
They all lead me to the elevator. My shoes are just white flats. You can't see my feet and I'm less likely to trip if I'm flat on my feet. Effie was upset for a while that I refuse to wear heels, but she got over it. I'd much rather be my actual height, anyways.  
When we get to the lobby of the hotel, there's guest, and when they see my, they burst into cheers, making all of us smile. A lot of people pat my shoulder.  
"Congratulations!" a ton of people chat. I thank them and am whisked away by Effie. Tonight Peeta and I are staying here, on Effie's command, and then tomorrow we go home.  
When we get in the limo, I stare blankly out the window, drumming my fingers on my knees, which are tapping nervously. A huge bundle of nerves has overcome me.  
"Katniss, it's going to be fine." Prim assures me. I ignore her, because I'm too into my own thoughts to focus on someone else's. The wedding reception is at central park and they're got a whole spot in the park cleared of snow with a dance floor down.  
When we get there, I'm hidden behind some statue, which is quite huge. Nobody saw us. Daddy puts his hand on my shoulder.  
"Ready kiddo?" he asks.  
"I don't know." I'm not having doubts, but I'm really nervous.  
None of the guests can see me and I can't see them, but I can hear them. I can hear Rye and Graham and Finn and Brandon. I really want to go up and hug Finn, but I can't, because I'm not allowed to. I hear Effie ordering people, and then her and Mama leave. I'm freaking out really bad now and my hands are sweaty and I'm sick to my stomach and nauseous.  
The music begins.  
"You look amazing Katniss." Daddy whispers.  
"Thank you," I gasp.  
"Hey," Daddy whispers, taking my clammy hands. "It's going to be fine, you love Peeta, and Peeta loves you. Trust me, honey. When you see him, the world is going to be gone, and you two are going to be the only people in existence." He whispers.  
"Really?" I whisper.  
"Really. Have I ever lied to you?"  
"Holidays, Dad, holidays." I reply. He smiles.  
"That doesn't count." He says. I laugh a little. He looks out from behind the statue. "Shoot, I think we were supposed to go already."  
That's when we realize the music for the bride to be walking is playing, and the crowd is muttering in confusion.  
"Quickly, Katniss," he links his arm with mine and we're both silently laughing as we hurry up part of the aisle.  
They have to actually restart the bridal song.  
Shit, shit, now I feel terrible. I know I've just nearly gave Peeta a heart attack.  
"Tell him your sorry, Katniss." Daddy whispers in my ear.  
People's faces grow calm and relived when we come into view.  
"I feel terrible," I whisper.  
Dad laughs a bit, but silences himself.  
We walk down the aisle, and the nerves come back full force, and I know I've probably cut off my father's circulation.  
I see Opal, then Faith, then Annie, then Johanna, then Prim.  
And then I see Peeta. I swear to god, Daddy was right. The entire world stops and I can't see anyone, I can feel a grip on my arm, but I can't see the person standing beside me. I just see him. I see him, I see everything. His eyes that can make me melt on command, his smile, his hair, his tux.  
Suddenly, I'm walking way to slow and I quicken my pace, and Daddy has to slow me down.  
He puts my hand in Peeta's, kisses my forehead, whispers something in Peeta's ear. Peeta's eyes widen slightly and he nods.  
Peeta asks me with just a small arch of his eyebrows if I'm okay. I nod. His eyes are dark, dark blue, and I know my eyes are matching his.

PEETA'S POV

She never fails to give me a heart attack. First, she doesn't come down the aisle, and I stand there, panicked, thinking she's run off. The crowd was muttering and Johanna wasn't trying to be quiet as she demanded where she was. The song restarted and she appeared, and my heart literally stopped. Our eyes didn't unlock and we didn't even blink. She's stunning. I love her so much, so, so much. When I silently ask her if she's okay, she smiles and nods.

KATNISS'S POV

I can't focus on what the priest is saying. I can't focus on anything expect for Peeta.  
When Peeta gives my hand a gentle squeeze, I realize everyone is looking at me expectantly. I look around, not having a single clue what I'm supposed to say. I hear Johanna hiss something about "someone didn't take their ADD meds this morning"  
I'm panicked, and Peeta is smiling. A few people laugh, and I really don't know what to do. "What?" I whisper. Peeta bites his lip.  
"Vows, Katniss, say your vows." He whispers.  
"Oh…" shit…I completely forgot about vows.  
Think, Katniss, think!  
I don't know what to say, I really don't know what to say!  
Prim whispers something about "look where you are" and that's when I know what I'm going to say.  
I make a mental note to thank her later. "Peeta…" I begin. "I've known you since I was born. We were inseparable from the day I was born, to September eleventh, 2001. And it was here, in this very spot, that my life ended." I guess that's a way to start. Everyone that was here that day, that remembers, or knows what happened all look sorry. Others look shocked and confused. "Because on that day, was the last day I ever saw you. I spent thirteen long years lonely. I was sad and depressed and I didn't understand why. I just knew I missed you, my best friend. But…it was more than that, and I was just too young to understand. I was in love with you. As I kid, I couldn't see that, but now, I do. I can see the way I look at you in those photos. I think that the best day I'd had in thirteen years happened on May eighth of this year. I'd spent thirteen years thinking you were gone, dead, in the ground. But on my birthday, the day you walked into Johanna's bar with Finnick, it's like someone flipped a switch. You can ask the girls. They both agree that I act much happier when I'm with you. And now that I've got you, I'm never letting go of you. I love you."  
That's all I can think of, and it was terrible, but he doesn't seem to care.  
I did make a lot of the girls in my family cry, though.  
"Peeta, please recite your vows." The priest says.  
Of course he's already got something to say.  
"Katniss, I'm going to make this short." He says. I just smile. "You are the most incredible, beautiful, amazing person I will ever meet. You are worth more than all the money Bill Gates has, more than all the money in the world. You are worth more than anything or anyone in existence. You are my everything and I love you."  
Dammit, he never fails to make me cry.  
Audrey and her little friend Ben come up with the rings.  
The priest tells us to exchange. Peeta slides the ring onto my left hand. It's just a gold band with three diamonds on it. His is matching, but without the diamonds and just the gold band. My hands are shaking slightly as I slide the ring on his finger. I'm beginning to get impatient because I'm ready to kiss him.  
"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss your bride."  
Peeta takes my face in his hands and kisses me. I put my arms around his neck and he moves his to the small of my back. Our ears don't even register the screaming of our families.  
This kiss is different from any other one we've shared. This kiss feels so much better and so amazing and it's like I'm kissing him for the first time again.  
After a minute, we force ourselves to pull away, and we are engulfed in family, all of them hugging us and kissing our cheeks, many of them crying, or laughing, or both. I end up losing hold of Peeta's hand, and then someone else pulls me away.  
I really don't want to be away from him and it gives me a pang when I am away from him.  
Cinna's pulling me.  
He leads me through the park and then across the street to a store and into the family bathroom. He hands me a dress, a bra and a thong.  
"A thong? I've never worn one." I admit.  
"It's for Peeta." He says. "Now get dressed, you worthless thing." He exits the bathroom and I change everything and stick my head out the door. He turns around and joins me in the bathroom. He zips up the dress and then starts to undo my hair.  
I'm locked in here for an hour as he straightens my hair, re-curls it, puts it into an intricate up dew. He wrinkles his nose and takes it down, lifting it slightly and then letting the rest fall. I have to sit there for another hour as he takes off all my makeup and redoes it.  
The dress goes to seven inches above my knee. It's a very light peach that's a lace. He switches my shoes to white heels.  
"There. I know it was a long two and a half hours." He kisses my forehead. "Now let's take you to your husband." He links his arm with mine and pulls me away.  
It's snowing, but I hardly notice the cold.  
"Do they know where I am?" I ask.  
"Yes, and the party's already started. We didn't think you'd mind." It's well past dark now, and I can hear laughter and music in the park. We walk far and soon enough, we're in a large crowd of people who all congratulate me. Cinna releases me, and I begin to search for Peeta. I'm stopped by a ton of people, some I don't even know.  
I see his back. He's surrounded by a ton on people that I don't know. I decide not to go over him. He's obviously with his friends from high school and he clearly wants to be with them. I find Johanna, who is with a ton of people from high school.  
"There she is! Come give me a hug, you bitch!" Clove shouts. I laugh and hug her. "I haven't seen you since we were seventeen! Damn girl, you've got yourself quite a guy." I smile.  
"Yeah," I smile. Effie hands me a drink and hugs me before she's gone to help someone out. "So what about you? How have you been?" I ask.  
"Good, I've been good. I'm engaged to-" she looks around. "I don't know where he is. Remember Cato?"  
"Cato?" I repeat. "You're getting married to the high school asshole? No offense..."  
"Oh, he's a completely different person." She says. "He's quite sweet, really."  
"Seriously?" Johanna asks. "Last I remember; he was a complete and utter ass who dated Glimmer who bullied Katniss. Why the hell are you with him?"  
Clove is exactly like Johanna and she doesn't hesitate to snap back.  
"Don't judge Cato. You hardly fucking know him. At least I'm in a relationship, you lonely fucker."  
"I am in a relationship, and he's a billion times better than you!" Johanna snaps.

"Whatever," Clove snaps. "And Cato is not an asshole, Katniss. And why didn't you invite Glimmer? Are you too scared?" she demands.

"Why do you care?" I snap.

"Because Glimmer is my best friend." She snaps. "Are you a fucking coward? You invite everyone _but_ her?"

"Oh just fuck off." I snarl.

Soon enough, Johanna, Clove and I are in a full blown argument. None of us notice that we're shouting, that the music has stopped, that everyone is surrounding us, and everyone is glaring at Clove, except for Cato, who is glaring at me.

Someone grabs my hand. We all cut off to see Peeta standing beside me. His eyes are pitch black with anger.

Shit, he's mad at me.

"You can leave." He says to Clove.

'I can, but I won't." she snaps.

"To hell you w-"

"Yes, you will. Leave, it wasn't a choice." Peeta cuts me off. He looks at Cato, who is glaring at me. he doesn't know him, but he doesn't care. "You too, go."

Clove shoots both Johanna and I glare, along with Cato before they disappear.

Peeta shoots the DJ a look and the music starts up again. Everyone slowly goes back to what they're doing. Aunt Kari, Mama and Effie storm over to Johanna and all of them get a grip on her arm.

"Don't yell at her. She didn't do anything. Clove got pissed because we didn't invite that person I told you three not to invite and we got into a fight about it. It's no big deal." They release Johanna, who storms off. Eventually, everyone is forgotten. Peeta starts to pull me somewhere. If it was anyone else, I would protest, but I trust Peeta. He takes me away from the party, deep into the park. When we're in darkness aside from the lights from the city, he stops.

"Peeta, I'm really sorry-" he kisses me, quieting me.

"I'm not mad at you. Why would she do that on your wedding night?"

"Our wedding night." I correct him. 'And I'm not telling you tonight because it's going to upset you. Now let's go back, because people are going to be wondering where we-"

"It's upsetting me because I don't know." He whispers. "Please Katniss, tell me?" he asks. I sigh.

"Fine…you remember that girl in Best Buy? The one that wanted our TV?" I ask.

"Yeah…"

"Well I went to high school with her and she bullied me, which is why she wasn't invited to the wedding. Clove was pissed off and Johanna and I were arguing with her. And that guy was her boyfriend, Glimmer's ex."

"You were bullied? Katniss, why didn't you tell me?"

"For this reason." I say. I take his face in my hands. "Don't worry about it. Please Peeta, it was seven years ago. It's done. Over with. Please, just drop it, Peeta, I'm begging you." I beg him.

"Okay, okay I'll drop it. I love you so much, my beautiful wife." He kisses me, and I smile into it.

"I love you too, my darling husband." I mumble.

We break apart, and I rest my head on his shoulder. We just stand there for a while. "Uh hem, you two can spend as much time as you want to together later. for now, you need to amuse the guests." Effie says behind us.

….s….

We get back to the reception. "Ah, there they are! Time for the first dance as husband and wife!" The DJ, who is Peeta's friend from high school announces. His name is Marvel. Peeta smiles at me and holds out his hand. I smile and take it, and everyone moves. When we're in the middle of the dance floor, the song, which Peeta got to choose, begins to play. I gasp when it begins, and he just smiles and begins to twirl me around the dancefloor.

"It's Christina Perri!" I exclaim.

"It is." He smiles. He chose _A Thousand Years_ by _Christina Perri_.

We're silent for a bit, my head on his shoulder.

"So…" he begins.

PEETA'S POV

"So…" I begin. "Did you want to marry me, or did you just do it because you said yes?" I blurt. She looks up at me.

"What? Peeta, that's the craziest thing I think I've ever heard you say!" she exclaims.

"Well…they did have to restart the song." I say. For some reason, she starts laughing.

"That's because me and Daddy were talking and we didn't even realize that we were supposed to be in the aisle!" She exclaims.

I start laughing too, as I twirl her, making her gasp. I quickly pull her back against my chest and then dip her, pulling her back up flush against me.

"You really know what you're doing!" she says, gasping. I smile.

"Well…" I spin her again, and then just hold her against my chest. Just when she starts to calm again, I twirl her around four times and pull her back against me.

She lets me drifts my hand down to the curve of her ass. She smiles, her eyes going distant for a moment.

"I remember back when you would get embarrassed when we hugged." She smiles.

"Me too, back when we were eight. But you know what, Katniss?" I pull her closer to me, her lips inches from mine as I whisper, "That was _then_, this is _now_."


	12. Chapter 12

I knew it.  
It's a week and two days after the wedding. It's Christmas Eve, actually. Everyone went home and came back, but instead of spending the holidays at Prim's, everyone is at Peeta and I's house.  
I can hear the families laughter from the kitchen. I can't wipe the smile off my face. I'm crying and grinning at the same time. I locked myself in the bathroom twenty minutes ago, and nobody has bothered me.  
I've got one hand on my stomach, one hand on my belly, and another clutching the counter.  
And on the counter, are ten pregnancy tests. All of them have either two pink lines, a smiley face, a plus sign or the word pregnant on them.  
I wipe off my tears and force myself to stop smiling as I stuff every bit of evidence in the drawer with my tampons and walk out of the bathroom.  
"There you are!" Peeta exclaims.  
"What's wrong?" Johanna blurts.  
"Nothing," I say.  
"Liar," Peeta smirks. My grin reappears and I put my hands in the back pockets of my jeans.  
"Katniss dear, are you a bit tipsy?" Effie asks. All my family starts laughing.  
"No," I reply, thankful I didn't drink that drink she handed me at the reception.  
"What's up with you?" Annie laughs.  
"Your acting high or something." Finn says. Everyone silent now. I can't stop beaming.  
"Katniss, what?" Peeta is beginning to look concerned.  
"I'm pregnant." I say.  
I had a feeling. I was supposed to start my period on the eighteenth, but it never came. I didn't think anything at the time because Peeta and I were so busy with sex that I didn't notice.  
But then I threw up yesterday morning, and I realized I hadn't gotten my period.  
I waited a day, just to double check. I threw up again this morning, and right after, I snuck out of the house and went to the drug store. I went a bit overboard and bought ten pregnancy tests.  
"She's lying." Johanna is clearly not convinced. I put up a finger and go back to the bathroom, getting the ten tests and going back to the living room, laying them all out on the table.  
Everyone inspects them, and all of them start grinning.  
We all calmly wait for Peeta to process.

PEETA'S POV

Pregnant, she's pregnant?  
She has ten tests, and everyone is positive.  
She's pregnant. Katniss is pregnant.  
My wife is pregnant.  
I'm going to be a father.  
Katniss is pregnant.  
Pregnant.  
My wife is pregnant with my child and in eight or nine months I'll have our baby in my arms.  
I'll have both myself, and Katniss in my arms in nine months.  
Everyone is beaming and they're all waiting for my reaction.  
"Pregnant," I whisper.

KATNISS'S POV

"Pregnant," he whispers, his eyes flicking to the tests to me, to my belly, to the tests, to me again. "Pregnant." He says louder. "Your pregnant." Everyone's smiles fall, clearly thinking he's not happy, but mine doesn't. He's overjoyed. "Pregnant! You're pregnant! We're having a baby Katniss, your pregnant!" he starts shouting, picking me up and spinning me around, shouting about cribs and diapers and baby's and school and toys and me and pregnancy. He sets me down, grinning as big as I am, with an insane look in his eyes. "Your pregnant." He says. Everyone starts cheering, just like we did for Prim, when we found out.

…s…

"How'd you find out?" He whispers. My back is in his chest and his arms are winded around me, placed on my belly. We have clothes on, but very little. I'm in my underwear and a tank top and he's in sweats.  
"I skipped my period…I was due the eighteenth and I forgot…" I roll over so we're face to face. "We were pretty busy…" I laugh and he smiles. "And then I threw up yesterday morning. That's when I remembered I forgot my period. Then I threw up this morning and snuck off to the store."  
"Are you excited?" He whispers.  
"Yes, are you?"  
"Yes." Everyone is asleep and the kids are asleep. I yawn. "Well I'm going to bed." I kiss him. "I l I love you, good night." I mumble.  
"I love you too baby, good night." He kisses my cheek.

...9...

I'm not even in his arms when I'm bounced awake.  
"Up Katnus! Up! Up! Up!" Audrey screams, bouncing up and down on my bed. I groan loudly and cover my face with a pillow. "Brandon!" Audrey screams. He climbs onto my bed and rips the pillow away from me. "Get up!" He shouts in my ear. "We can't open until your awake! It's ten thirty for crying out loud!"  
Is it really ten thirty? I look at the clock to see it is indeed ten thirty. I sigh and get up. They climb off my bed and I grab the comforter.  
"Are you going to put any pants on?" Brandon asks.  
"No. Your in my house. I wear what I want." I wrap myself in the blanket and walk into the living room where almost everyone is laughing. "I don't know why it's so funny." I grumble, sitting down next to Peeta and putting my legs on his lap. He takes the blanket and covers my lower. I'm a bit bloated today, my boobs hurt a little and I've got some cramps.  
Everyone is staring at me. "What?" I demand.  
Johanna smirks. "You look terrible. Your all bloated and disgusting." I cover my entire body with the blanket. "I didn't mean it as something rude. I was just simply stating that it's obvious your pregnant."  
"You know-" a huge wave of nausea hits me and I jump up, putting up a finger before running to the bathroom, slamming and locking the door and throwing up violently in the toilet. Everyone is laughing in the living room. I brush my teeth after flushing and wash my face and then storm across the hall to our bedroom and pull on sweatpants and put on a bra and then a green tight t-shirt and walk back into the living room. They all shut up when I walk in.  
"Your showing already." Mama says.  
"No I'm not." I wave her off. "I can't be showing yet. It's too early."  
"How far along are you?" Aunt Lisa demands.  
"Um...I don't know, but I think I'm a month."  
"You were on your period the day before thanksgiving though." Peeta says.  
"You can still get pregnant on your period. Did you guys have S on your period?"  
"No." Peeta says.  
"Yes we did. In the shower, remember?" He looks confused for a minute and then he smirks.  
"Oh yeah," he says.  
"And what day was that?" Mama asks.  
"Um..." I think for a moment. "The night of the 27th...I think." I say.  
She pulls out her phone and starts muttering something under her breath.  
"Forty weeks from November 27th is September Third. That's your due date." She says. I sit down on the couch.  
"Okay...let's talk about this later and stop torturing the kids." I say. I wrap myself in the blanket again and everyone starts to rip apart their gifts. I told Peeta he wasn't allowed to get me anything and we got into an argument about it. I won, so neither one of us are getting anything because he said if he can't get me anything than neither can I. Christmas makes me smile because the kid get so excited.  
Next year, Peeta and I will have a three, almost four month old.  
The kids all sit on the floor and play with their toys while the adults all get up and begin breakfast. We have another snowball fight after breakfast.  
"I'm just letting you know, your not playing in the fight today." Mama says. I'm helping her with the eggs.  
"Why not?" I demand. She looks up at the rest of the adults for help.  
"Because your pregnant." Johanna says.  
"So? I'm hardly pregnant!"  
"I don't care. Your not playing." She says. "Do you want to hurt the baby?"  
"No, but I never get hurt when I play anyways. I hide the whole time!"  
"Doesn't matter."

...8...

I'm forced to watch everyone, but I don't mind because I've got Chase and he's holding onto my finger, sleeping in my arms.  
I'm singing a song stuck in my head and when everyone finishes, we head back.  
"When are you guys opening this place?" Johanna asks as we head upstairs to the restaurant.  
"January 27th." Peeta replies.

Someone knocks loudly on the glass downstairs and Peeta turns right back around. I unlock the door and we all head inside.

"Alright, gimme my son." Alex says. I hand his Chase, even though I really want to hold him, but he's his child and I can't tell him no.

Peeta come upstairs with Aunt Megan, Uncle Andrew and Jessica. I haven't seen them since last Christmas because they couldn't make it to the wedding and they only come for Christmas because they don't have the money. Jessica is my little cousin, she's fifteen.

"Sorry we're late! Traffic is crazy!" Aunt Megan hugs me. "Married! My little niece is married!" she puts her hand over her heart and gasps. "I'm getting old!"

"She's pregnant, too." Mama says.

"Pregnant! Oh my goodness! A new baby! Another new baby!" she walks over to Alex and takes Chase. Uncle Andrew hugs me and Jessica hugs me. Every time she comes, she sticks with me, Annie and Johanna. Mama says we need to watch what we do around her, because she looks up to us and we're her role models. Johanna, Annie and I always try our best to be good about it. They fit right in with all of us and everyone knows everyone. Johanna walks over to me after an hour of everyone and elbows me in the ribs, much more gentle than usual, and I know it's because the baby.

"Jess is acting weird, don't you think?" she whispers.

"Yeah…" I whisper. "Let's go to me and Peeta's room." I whisper. we both sneak off to Peeta and I's room, Annie trailing behind us.

"Something's up with her. She's all quiet and she's pale and she looks like she's going to be sick and she looks like she's going to cry and she's sitting weird." Johanna says. "Can they hear us?"

"Um…probably not; the rooms are pretty soundproof unless you're screaming." I reply. They nod.

"So what do you think it is?" Ann asks as I sit on the bed without blankets and cross my legs.

"I don't know…but I don't like it." I say. "It seems familiar, but I can't put my finger on why."

"I agree…she'll come to us if there's anything wrong." Johanna says. We're all silent for a while.

"Where's Johanna, Annie and Katniss?" I hear Mama ask loudly.

"That's our annoying que. Just let me change."

I pull on a white dress, that's just white everywhere and then go across the hall to the bathroom and brush my hair, before walking out into the living room.

"Nice dress," Prim says. I just shrug.

"Thanks," I sit down on Peeta's lap. Jessica won't look at anyone.

"Jess honey, are you okay?" Aunt Megan asks her daughter. She takes a deep breath.

"Katniss, can I talk to you? Alone?" she asks. "Like, really alone, like on the first floor?" She asks. Everyone looks at her and I in confusion, but I'm just as confused as them.

"Yeah, sure…" I head towards the door, but she surprises me and everyone else by grabbing my purse backpack and my phone _then _following me downstairs.

When she get to the first floor, she turns to me. "I need your help." She whispers.

"With what? What happened?" I ask.

"I need your help…your pregnant, right?" she asks.

"Yes, why?" I ask.

"I need a pregnancy test." She whispers, looking all around. Johanna and Annie come downstairs and join us.

"A pregnancy test? Why?" I ask.

"Because…because…" she starts crying. Annie and Jo stand on their side of me.

"Jess, are youo pregnant?" Annie whispers.

"I think so," she whispers, wiping her tears. "Please, I'll pay you back if you go buy me four tests." She begs.

"Fine…if you are though…" I shake my head. "Don't tell anyone where I am. God forbid I leave without telling anyone." I walk out of the restaurant.

…s…..

I got ten again, because I can't fucking believe she thinks she pregnant.

If she thinks she pregnant then she's obviously had sex. And if she's had sex, she could very well be pregnant.

I can't fucking believe this. My fifteen year old cousin might be _pregnant_.

First Olive, and now her.

I wonder how Olive is doing. Thank god CVS is open on Christmas.

I storm back into the restaurant, having gotten chocolate too, because I saw it and couldn't resist. I got money pacifiers too, because they were cute and I can see them in Chase's mouth.

"Where have you been?" Peeta demands the second I walk into the house.

"I had to go to the store for something." I say.

"For what?" he reaches for the bag and I put it behind my back.

"Nothing," I say.

"Katniss…" he sighs.

"Where's Jess?" I ask.

"Bathroom," Johanna says. Her and Annie rise.

Peeta makes a grab for the bag again, but Johanna takes it and peers inside, then she stuffs it in her shirt. "Go up there and I break your arm." Johanna snaps.

"I'll tell you later, I swear to god." I say. He sighs.

"Fine." He's mad at me now. Johanna, Annie and I walk into the bathroom. She's sitting on the edge of the tub with her head in her hands. I lock the door and hand her the bag.

….s….

Her expression is blank as she stares at the tests. The three of us made her look first, and I really don't want to look. Then she passes out. The three of us look at the test to see their all positive.

"Shit." Jo mutters. We look down at our unconscious cousin. Annie counts as my cousin. She has since we met and does still. Our family instantly accepted her, since she lost her family in 9/11.

"Let's get her off the floor." Annie whispers. Annie grabs one foot, I grab the other, Johanna opens the door, I hide the tests, then I grab her other foot and Annie gets her arms and we lift her, carrying her off to the living room.

"What happened?" Uncle Andrew asks. We lie her down on me and Peeta's comforter on the foor, and the three of us sit next to her.

"She passed out." Annie says.

"Why!" Mama goes to check her, but I know she's going to find out she's pregnant.

"She's perfectly fine Mama. Just leave her be till she wakes."

"Why though?" Aunt Megan asks.

"It's not my place to tell, it's not Johanna place to tell and it's not Katniss's place to tell." Annie says. I get up and get the bag from the bathroom.

"Look what I saw at CVS?" I get out the pacifiers. "For Chase." I throw them to Prim, who catches them.

"Aww! How cute! Oh my god Katniss, this is adorable!"

"What is it?" Alex takes the pacifiers from her and smiles, ripping it open and putting it in his mouth before sticking it in Chase's mouth.

"That's adorable." Mama smiles. Jess wakes up and starts to sob, hiding her face in her hands. My heart clenches when the parents starts screaming at me, Johanna and Annie as if we were the ones doing something wrong. The house goes mad, and Johanna, Annie and I are screaming back, all the children are crying and I'm just pissed and I want everyone to get the hell out. Prim isn't shouting though, she's just trying to calm down Chase. She gets up and goes to my bedroom without a word, and I get so frustrated that I start crying as I stand up.  
"SHUT UP!" I shout. Everyone silences. "Don't go blaming Johanna, Annie and I! We didn't do ANYTHING except for help her! If you have a problem, or you want to keep screaming at me, you can get the hell out!" I point to the door, furious.

"I'm not leaving, but I still know you have something to do with this." Aunt Megan says.

"I didn't do anything." I hiss.

"Well I still think you do, and I know Andrew will back me up on this." Aunt Megan says. "You're the reason that we only come for Christmas." She snaps.

"Me? I didn't do shit. Get out." I say.

"No." she crosses her arm.

"Peeta, back me up here!" I say.

"She did ask you to leave…and this is our house…and we own it…and one of the owners told you to get out…" Peeta stands up.

"Fine! Let's go Jess, we're leaving," Uncle Andrew shouts. "Why the hell do you think we didn't come to your fucking wedding? You an _asshole_."

"Don't say that to her! She didn't do anything to you!" Mama defends me. Everyone begins to defend me.

Jess stands up and follows her parents out of the house.

"I hope you burn in hell!" Aunt Megan shouts.

I don't know why, but that hurts, a lot.

It's because I don't ever do anything wrong anymore. I used to, but after I drank and got drunk. I stopped, and I started to act my age, with occasionally jokes. That's me though, that's how I am. That's how I've been since I could mutter a noise. I've always been like that, and for some reason, it kills me to hear them say that, because me burning in hell is the baby burning in hell, and I don't want the baby to burn in hell. I want nothing but good for the baby, and in order for the baby to be happy, it has to have a good mother. And I'm the baby's Mama. So I've got to be a good Mama.

So I don't cry, I don't curse, or complain, or rant. I just take a deep breath and say, "I'm gonna go see if Prim needs help." And then I walk down the hall to my bedroom and open the door. She's laying on the bed with him in her arms, patting his butt. He's quiet.

I'm not upset because they told me to burn in hell, or than I'm an asshole. Because I'm not. I'm not any of those things. So I lay down next to Prim, and me, my little sister and my nephew, all drift off to sleep.

…s...

PEETA'S POV

"I can't believe they would say that to her." Mrs. Everdeen says.

"She took it a lot easier than I thought she would." I say.

"I agree with you brother. There was something in her eyes though." Rye says.

"I think she learned something. I think she realized something and I think she's changing. Your going to notice a change in her, and it's going to be a good one." Haymitch says.

"I'll go check on her." I stand up and walk down the hall. I look in the room, and see her, Prim and Chase all asleep on the bed. I get the comforter from the living room and take it back to the room, covering all three of them and going back to the living room.

KATNISS'S POV

I wake up with the blanket over me, Prim and Chase gone. I get up and stare at myself in the mirror. I can't wait till September third.

I rub my belly and walk out of the bedroom. I take a shower and spend extra time on my belly, then I get out and brush my teeth, wrap myself in a towel and sneak across the hall and chance in fresh underwear and bra and then put on the same dress, towel dry my hair, brush it, and go into the living room. Brandon is sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table with his math book and everyone is trying to help him.

"Brandon, what grade are you in?" I ask. He sighs in frustration and slams the book shut.

"I'm in eighth grade." He angrily shoves the book off the coffee table.

Everyone is looking at me. I look at the cover of the book and recognize it as the one I taught out of. I pick it up off the floor.

"What page?" I ask.

He just shakes his head. "I'm giving up." He says.

"Aw come on, just one more try. Please? Just one more?" I ask.

"Fine. Page 301, numbers 5-16 all." He grumbles. I fip throough the book, and sigh when I see the page. Two step equations. I set it down on the table.

"What don't you get?" I ask.

"Everything! Nothing makes sense!" he says.

"What is everything?" I ask.

"Number 5! 8+z/4=23. How in the world can a _letter_ be in a math problem!" he really frustrated.

"Because the letter is really a number and you have to find what Z is."

"How!" he runs his hands over his face in frustration.

"Hang on," I get up and go down the hall and get my whiteboard and two markers, going back into the living room and setting them down on the table.

"You were right, Haymitch." Peeta says.

"I know I was." He replies. I hardly hear them, and I honestly don't care because it's a conversation between Peeta and Haymitch and I was not invited into it. I hand him a marker and write down the problem.

"Let me see you solve it." I say. "And say everything out loud." I say.

"Fine…you subtract eight because you want to get z/4 by itself, and in order to do that, you have to do the opposite of addition which is subtraction." He draws his line down the equal sign and subtracts eight. He's got the first part right. "And then you get sixteen." He says as Godiva climbs into my lap. He carries down the z/4=24. "And then you add four and get 28." He says.

"Why?" I ask.

"What?" he asks in frustration.

"Why do you add four?"

"Because you do!" he snaps.

I don't get angry, because I'm used to being snipped at by frustrated kids. "No you don't. You want to solve for Z. In order to solve for Z, you have to get Z by itself." I say.

"How do I do that?" he asks.

"Welll…this…" I circle the z/4. "That's not a fraction." I say.

"Yes it is." He says.

"No it's not." I write the problem again, as 8+z divided by 4= 23

"Wait…" he gasps. "So you have to do the opposite of division, right? So that's' multiplication!" he begins to redo the problem. "23 minus eight is 16, which then gets multiplied by four, and then you get…" he's quite for a second. "Sixty four? Is it sixty four, Katniss?"

"It is," I smile and he grins.

"This is so easy! Let's do another!"

_**I'm going to skip to late January so I can do the opening of the restaurant. **_

_**And I have a confession to make…**_

_**I am KatPeeta22**_

_**A lot of you have recognized my writing and said that I deleted. **_

_**Well I made another right after I deleted it…**_


	13. Chapter 13

Today is going to be a really long, really hard day. I haven't seen my family since new years day and it is January 27th and everyone is coming for the opening day of Peeta and I's restaurant. I'm showing now. Not much, but enough to make me look like I gained weight. I'm in a tight white dress and I left my hair down. I managed to get the principle of the school I worked out to announce it to the kids I taught, who are all in ninth grade now. He said that a lot of them are coming.  
Besides the kids and the family, that's all I know.  
Peeta and I are both really nervous that nobody else is going to show up.  
"You look beautiful." Peeta kisses my cheek from behind and puts his hands on my belly, pulling me back against his chest. I'm staring at myself in the mirror. "Stop that baby, you are not fat." He says.  
"I'm fatter than I used to be." I say.  
"Because you're pregnant. Right after the baby is born, you'll go back to normal. Now let's go downstairs, our employees are waiting on us. We haven't seen Jess, Aunt Megan or Uncle Andrew, and none of us make a move to get in contact with them.  
We both go down to the first floor, and there's a huge line outside, lining up the street. Anyone outside can see us because the whole front wall of the first and second floor is glass. The only reason the third floor isn't, is because that's me and Peeta's house, although we do have a window seat in the dining room that anyone can see into.  
We don't really go in there unless we have company, anyways. I sometimes go in there to sit at the window though.  
We have a staff of twelve, six girls and six boys. The six girls are the waitresses and the guys are generally in the kitchen, and we have two managers, one female, one male, but Peeta and I are the main ones.  
We have; Kara, who is the female manager, Macy, Miranda, Quinn, Ella and Victoria for the girls, for the boys we have; Justin, who is the male manager, Richard, Travis, Nick, Michael and Parker.  
"This is going to be crazy busy. My whole family is coming in." Kara says.  
"Ours too," I say. We treat them as our friends.  
"It's noon. Let's get this show on the road." Peeta says. We all high five and then Peeta opens the door.

…s…

I'm running around, taking orders, and excusing myself every time I nearly slam into someone. Our family isn't here and I'm honestly dreading their reaction to the fact that I'm a fat ass.  
I seat another family and get them their drinks, and then Macy and I collide, spilling drinks all over one another. People stare at us, and she looks panicked.  
"It's fine, I'm not mad come here." I pull her into the kitchen, both of us dripping as I set down our trays. "Peeta, I need you to cover Macy and I while we go change." I say. He rips off his apron.  
"Okay," he's clearly in just as much of a rush that I am.  
"Katniss, I am so sorry-"  
"It's alright, I'm not mad at you, accidents happen, and we both ran into each other, so I'm sorry too." I say.  
"I don't have clothes here." She says.  
"That's fine." She's my old size. I pull her up to the second floor, past a huge group of my students from last year, and through the door and me and Peeta's, which I lock behind me before pulling her upstairs to the living room.  
"This is your house?" she asks.  
"Yeah, me and Peeta's." I say. I pull her into our bedroom and open my closet. "Pick anything you'd like," I say after getting my other white skintight dress that has a low back. The back dips down low and it's literally as tight as my skin.  
She gets a white dress with lace on it with lace three quarter sleeves. "Can I wear this?" she asks.  
"Yeah, and you can take a quick shower if you want to." I say.  
"Oh no, that's fine. Where's the bathroom?" she asks.  
"Right across the hall." I reply. She disappears and I quickly change. She walks into the room. "I'll wash your clothes and have Peeta and I change them over so you can have them back when you leave." I say. I start her clothes in the laundry and then we rush back downstairs.  
"Okay," she smiles.  
"Ms. Everdeen!" The group of students chant, causing me to stop.  
"Yes?" I ask.  
"I hate to ask…" Marshal begins, "But are you pregnant?"  
I smile. "Yes, now I really have to go. Do you guys need anything? Refills?" I ask.  
"Can I have more coke, please?" Allison hands me her cup.  
"Of course, anyone else?"  
Everyone shakes their heads and I go downstairs. My family is here now. I put up a finger, telling them to wait before getting Allison her drink and taking it up to her, going back down.  
"Your showing!" Mama gasps. I just smile.  
"Yeah…how many of you guys are their?" I ask.  
"um…" They all look around.  
"Twenty?" Johanna asks.  
"I think theirs…no way, there is much more than twenty." Annie argues.  
"There's forty six." Peeta says behind me. "Always has been, not always will be." He says.  
"Forty six?" I repeat, looking around. "We do not have enough tables open for forty six people." I say.  
"Well…" Peeta sighs.  
"We can split up." Aunt Kari suggests.  
"So…three tables of 15?" I ask.  
"Yes, just do that." Mama says. Peeta and I walk off, taking empty tables and pushing them together, making three tables of fifteen. They all divide up and we take their orders and drinks. The kitchen is getting really busy and Peeta has to go back to help them, apologizing four times before I just walk away, giving the family their drinks. I clean off tables for people that have left and drop by the counter where you pay and put the tips in the jar.  
"Hey Brainless, wait," Johanna stops.  
"What?" I ask.  
"Two things, one, I need for sprite." She hands me her cup. "And you should play music. People will like it better." She says. I let ouot a breath and nod, going to the kitchen to fill her cup.  
"Hey Peeta, Johanna said we should play music. Can we do that?" I ask.  
"Oh yeah, I forgot that." He brushes past me, kissing my cheek as he goes. I give Johanna her drink, thankful to find that things have calmed down. Me and the six other girls go around and wipe down the tables and collecting tips and everything. Someone left their phone on accident, so I take it and put it under the counter in the bucket labeled forgotten which already has a purse, a wallet and some keys.  
It calms down enough for me to pull up a chair with my family, which now has joined together.  
"I can't believe your showing Katniss, oh I'm so excited!" Annie exclaims.  
"Me too," I smile.  
"Katniss, can I take my break?" Miranda asks.  
We let everyone get an hour break, and they just ask when they can take it.  
"Yeah, go ahead." I say.  
"Great, thanks." She puts her apron away, grabs her things and leaves.  
"I'll be right back." I get up and go upstairs, checking on the very few people up there, who all say their good before I go up into the house and change the laundry over, feed Godiva and go back down.

…..s…..

Right when Miranda gets back, a huge crowd hits us and our family leaves so we can have more tables.  
I seat a few of my old students, who ask if I'm pregnant and then get scolded by their mothers, who apologize on behalf of their children. I tell them I am pregnant and then am forced to seat someone else. I'm exhausted now.  
Olive and her mother walk in with a baby, and I walk over to them.  
"Ms. Everdeen!" she shifts the child in her arms and hugs me.  
"Hey Olive." I smile as I seat them. The baby is really young.  
"Hi Ms. Everdeen! Do you want to hold him? His name is Kaden." She says.  
"Oh, I can't. If your here later I might, okay?" I ask.  
"Okay." She says.  
'What do you guys want to drink?" I ask.  
"Can I have water please?" Mrs. Pother says. I write down water.  
'Sure, and what about you Olive?" I ask.  
"Milk? Do you have milk?" she asks.  
"Yes, I'll be right back." I write down milk and then head off to get their drinks. I pace them in front of them and take their orders before going off again.

….s….

Now it's March 27th and Peeta and I are rushing to the doctors. We find out the sex today and I'm so excited. He's just reaching for the door when it bursts open and Prim with Chase, Johanna, and Annie walk in.  
"Can we come? My car broke down a few miles back on the way here and we ran the rest of the way!" Prim says. I look at Peeta, who just shrugs.  
"Okay," I say. Prim even has the car seat. We head down to the car, through the restaurant. We had to hire, more people. Prim puts Chase in the car seat and we head to the doctors.  
"What do you want?" Johanna asks.  
"A baby. I don't care if its girl, boy, alien, dog, I just want a baby." I say.  
"What about you?" Johanna taps Peeta's shoulder.  
"Same as Katniss." He says.  
"When are you going baby shopping?" Prim demands.  
"I don't know." I sigh because my back is not my friend and put my feet on the dashboard. When we get to the doctor's office, Peeta signs me in and then the four of us go through baby magazines and look at all the pictures.  
"Look at this one!" I gasp, pointing at an adorable baby.  
"Aww! Her name is…Holland." Prim says. We all smile.  
"Mrs. Mellark?" I look up, now used to being referred to at "Mrs. Mellark" instead of "Ms. Everdeen"  
We all rise, putting down the magazine and walking into the room with my doctor. She's not delivering me, my mother is, but she's going to be there and she's going to help out.  
"I've met you…" she points at Prim. "Your Prim and Chase." She says. Prim nods.  
"That's Annie. She's my best friend and then that's Johanna, my cousin and my best friend." I say.  
"Well it's lovely to meet you, I'm doctor Nikki." She says.  
"Nice to meet you," Jo and Ann say. She starts asking me questions, and I answer all of them as best I can.  
"Has the baby kicked you yet?" she asks as she pours jell all over me.  
"I think so…I'm not sure but I think so." I say. I told everyone already and they all flipped. Mama almost flew all the way out here to feel.  
"I think the baby will kick for sure by next week. That's how it was for my first. I didn't know if he had kicked, and then a week later, he nailed me in the ribs." She laughs and I smile.  
Why does everyone have boys?  
Prim has a boy, Olive has a boy, Dr. Nikki has two boys…  
Why isn't anyone having girls these days?  
She turns on the machines and we all wait in silence. The heartbeat fills the room and makes all of us smile.  
"We won't be able to find out the sex if the baby isn't in the righ-oh! Never mind!" She grins.  
"Well?" I ask. Peeta has my hand and the girls are all on the edge of their seats.  
"It's a girl." She says.  
"A girl! Oh my god!" Annie squeals. We all start smiling and talking at once.  
"We have to get her hair bows!" Annie says.  
"And hair ribbons and cute little dresses!" Prim squeals.  
"Do you all want the ultrasound?" She asks.  
"Yeah, but can you give me two more?" I ask.  
"Of course." She hands out the ultrasounds and hands me two more. She talks to Peeta and I about some things, like how the baby is healthy and she thinks that I'm going to go into labor on the third so she wants me at the hospital on the second. We listen intently, and then leave.  
"Why'd you get two more?" Peeta asks.  
"Let's to see our parents."

...9...

It was just Peeta and I that went.  
"Oh my! Look at you!" Mama gasps. It doesn't surprise me that all three families are here. "Oh my god, you found out the sex yesterday, didn't you?" She asks.  
"Yes." Peeta says as he shuts the door. They pull us into the living room and sit us down, all of us waiting expectantly. I hand one of the ultrasounds to my mother and the other to Mrs. Mellark.  
"It's a girl!" Mama says.  
Everyone starts cheering and going crazy.

...9...

We have to go back home for work.  
The house smells strongly of paint when we get there.  
"Smells like paint in here." I say.  
"It smells really strong of paint." Peeta agrees.  
"What the heck?" I mumble, looking around. It gets stronger the further we get down the hall. I see the room next to ours, where we're putting the nursery has an ajar door. I push it open and gasp. Someone snuck in when we were gone and painted the entire room a soft pink. There's a crib in here and every single baby supply known to man. "Peeta!" I call, crying. He comes up behind me.  
"Oh my god!" He gasps. We both walk into the room and start going through the drawers.  
I find all the answers I need.  
My fingers my be small but I've already got Auntie Prim wrapped around them.  
My fingers may be small but I've already got Auntie Johanna wrapped around them.  
My fingers my be small but I've already got Auntie Annie wrapped around them.  
Johanna is just going to be Auntie.  
"Peeta it was Prim, Jo and Ann." I say. I want to lift my baby out if that crib right now.  
"We need to go thank them." He says.  
For some reason, a name pops into my head. "Do you like the name Hallie?" I ask.  
"Yeah," he says. "I love that name, actually." He admits. "Hallie." He whispers. "Let's name her Hallie." I smile.  
"Hallie." I test it out.  
And then I gasp, because she kicked me.  
"Peeta! Peeta she kicked!" I exclaim.  
"She did?" He puts his hands on my belly and she kicks again. He bends down and places a gentle kiss on my belly. "Katniss, can I ask you something?" He asks as he rises.  
"Hmm?" I ask.  
"Can we...will you...can..." He sighs. "We haven't had sex in a while...and..." He stops. "Never mind." He goes to walk away, and I realize we haven't had sex since New Years Day. It's been three, four months in a few days. We hardly ever kiss anymore, either.  
I just haven't been in 'the mood'.  
I grab his hand.  
"Okay." I say.  
"Okay what?" He looks frustrated and upset.  
"Okay we can have sex."

...9...

"You three! Oh my god!" I hug all three girls and they all smile.  
"Did you like?" Prim asks.  
"Love! I loved!" I start crying again. I was hysterical last night. I cried for six hours nonstop and I didn't even have a reason. Peeta held me the whole time.  
"Don't cry." He looks frantic.  
"Why can't she cry?" Johanna asks.  
"Because she was hysterical for six hours and didn't even know why!" Peeta says as he hugs me again.


	14. Chapter 14

I'm nervous. I am seven months pregnant, I'm cramping, I'm tired, I'm moody and it's the forth of July. I'm due in less than two months. Everyone is going to be here in five minutes and last time I saw any of them I was four months.  
"Nothing fucking fits me!" I fling another pair of jeans at Peeta.  
"You look perfectly fine in what your wearing." He says.  
"I look like a fucking elephant i'm what in wearing!" I shout.  
"You do not." He argues.  
"Yes I do! I look like the fastest fucking person that ever lived! I'm bigger than fat fucking Albert! Why the hell can't I fit in anything!" I shout. I hear the front door slam. Im in the closet in a hideous maturity dress. "This is gross! God dammit! I'm about to go in nothing!" I scream at him. "I'm such a fucking fat ass. I can't even fit in my own damn body!" I start ripping things off of hangars and flinging all of them at him from the closet. I don't find a single thing. "Dammit Peeta! This is YOUR fault!" I shout at him.  
"How the hell is it my fault!" He argues. I've pissed him off.  
"Because YOU got me pregnant!" I scream at him. I can hear our family laughing in the living room.  
He exhales sharply. "Well I'm sorry." He says.  
"Don't fucking apologize! I'm pregnant with your ducking child! You should be grateful you fucking bastard!"  
He sighs loudly.

PEETAS POV

I'm not mad at her. I know this isn't Katniss talking. This is her pregnant moody painful body talking.  
And it's quite amusing.

KATNISS'S POV

"Why are you laughing!" I shout at him.  
He laughs harder.  
"Stop! It's not funny!" I scream.  
"I'm sorry." He says.  
"Stop apologizing! Your fucking annoying!" I shout.  
"Just wear jeans and a tee shirt." He sighs.  
"I don't like these! Their for fatasses!" I throw them at him. "And these are hideous! Why can't I have the Hallie now! I want to go back to my old size! Why the hell did you have to get me pregnant! Why can't I have been done with this in a week and two days! One month and a day and boom!" I punch the wall. "Just like that, the baby is born, I'm not a fatass, problem SOLVED! But no! Because it takes too long to grow! So I'm stuck as a fatass for nine months! And then another two weeks after that, so I can go back to my normal size! I miss size zero! Not 6 with a trillion zeros on the end!" I scream. "And these, don't even get me started! These are ugly, this is hideous, I'm not eighty, this is fucking disgusting, these look like something Lady Gaga would wear!" I fling more clothes at him.  
"What about those?" He points to a pair of jeans on the floor that are so cute.  
"SIZE FUCKING ZERO!" I shout. "And look at these!" I shout. "Fuck this! FUCK EVERYTHING! IM NOT GOING!" I sit down on the floor and cross my arms, glaring at the wall.  
"Your going to make your back hurt worse if you keep sitting like that." Peeta says.  
"Do you think I care!" I snarl.  
Prim, who sees me every day walks into my room and hands me a whole bunch of clothes. "There." She tosses me some shoes and leaves.  
I go through them. Some are like my old clothes. I find white jeans and pull them on and then get just a tank top that's loose and pull that on, and then the shoes, which are Toms.  
"There, are you good now?" Peeta asks.  
"I'm not going to be good until I have the fucking baby and I can wear my old fucking clothes." I snap as I walk past the living room to the kitchen. He follows me. "I don't understand why you had to get me pregnant in that damn shower. I don't get it. Why don't you just pleasure yourself instead of knocking me up!" I shout.  
"Is that what you want?" He demands.  
"No, but still, why do I have to be such a huge fatass?" I demand.  
"Your not a fatass." He argues.  
"Yes I am." I snap. I search for the pickes. "Who ate my fucking pickles?" I shout.  
"You finished them last night remember?" He asks. The restaurant is closed today.  
"No. I didn't. Someone else did. I didn't take any pickles last night." I say as I storm downstairs. He grabs my purse and waves everyone to follow, whispering something that makes them laugh. I almost trip on the stairs but Dad steadies me. "I don't need help! Let me go!" He doesn't bother yelling at me. Even Effie isn't trying to scold me. I walk into the kitchen and get the pickles for the restaurant and go back upstairs. "Unlock the fucking door!" I shout.  
"No." He says.  
"Why not!" I snap.  
"Because we have to go." He says.  
"Well then I'm not going." I sit down and stare up at him.  
"God. Prim did this all the time." Alex says.  
"What did you do when she did this?" Peeta waves at me and I glare at him.  
"This." Alex takes the pickles and sets them on the floor, and then he picks me up and carries me down the stairs, ignoring every swear and smack he gets. He buckles me into the car and then shuts the door. Everyone hurriedly gets in and the whole time there, I complain. Today is just one of those days that I'm not allowed to work because everything pisses me off.  
"Even my fucking ankles are fat." I grumbles. Hallie starts to kick me. I ignore her because I love her, but it begins to get annoying. "Stop it!" I smack my stomach. She stops for a second and starts right back up again.

PEETAS POV

Everyone is watching Katniss fight with Hallie, who is kicking the crap out if her. Katniss keeps smacking her stomach and then give up. "Your a pain in the ass, you know that?"

...9...

I have to take her to the bathroom six times and the while time she complains how she can't see her feet. She sits down on the edge if the docks after a whole and hangs her feet in the water. She doesn't say anything, and she's lost in her own thought.

KATNISS'S POV

I'm a bitch. I said so many rude things to Peeta, I don't let him kiss me or hold my hair or hug me or anything. I call him all these nasty names, too. I stare into the ocean at my reflection as tears slide down my cheeks. I have my hands on my belly. I called my own daughter a pain in the ass. "Mama's sorry." I whisper, barely audible. She rolls, telling me she heard me. Someone puts their hand on my back and then sits down next to me. Peeta.  
"You okay?" He asks. I lean against him.  
"I'm a terrible wife and a terrible mother." I whisper.  
"No your not." He says.  
"Yes I am. I treat you horribly. I don't even let you touch me anymore."  
He usually would be holding my hand, but his hands are just on his thighs. I grab his hand and raise it to my lips. "I'm sorry. I do love you, I just...I'm so uncomfortable all the time. I can't stand sleeping on my back and that's the only way I can sleep. I don't know Peeta. I'm so sorry."  
He wraps on arm around me and pulls me closer.  
"It's okay. I understand. I love you too."  
Fireworks explode in the sky, making me jump so bad that I fall into the ocean. Peeta helps me out, but he's laughing so hard, and so is the rest of my family, and me. We're all laughing.


	15. Chapter 15

"Please don't leave me." I whisper. It's September first, I'm due in two days and I'm ready to pop any second now. My family has been here since the start of August and Graham and Faith chose TODAY to move into their apartment. Everyone is forcing Peeta to go with them and he's pissed because he doesn't want to. "Please Peeta, just don't go." I'm crying because I'm petrified of going to labor alone. He sighs.  
"I don't want to go." He whispers.  
"Don't go!" I exclaim.  
"They're making me go-"  
"FUCK YOU ALL! PEETA ISN'T GOING!" I shout.  
I hear them whispering for a few minutes. "Fine!" Haymitch shouts. The front door slams, leaving us alone. My mother was completely against leaving me alone and I know I have her to thank for this. I'm not allowed to do anything except for go to the bathroom. Peeta put the old TV in here since I've been stuck here for a week.  
For four hours, we lounge around. "I'm going to the bathroom." I say, getting up. I waddle across the hall to the bathroom.

PEETAS POV

I follow her to the bathroom and wait in the doorway. I'm keeping my eyes on her at all times because I don't want her water to break and nobody be there. Mrs. Everdeen doesn't think it's going to break today so that's why Graham and Faith are moving to today. She stands up and start to pull up her pants, and then she cries out in pain, and then she's standing in a puddle of water. We're both silent for a second, and then I'm carrying her across the hall and helping her into underwear and sweats. I grab the bag for the hospital and everything we could possibly need, lift her into my arms and walk rush downstairs. Most of our customers are the regulars and they all start cheering when they see what's happening.  
They keep cheering till we're out of sight. I put her in the car and make sure she's buckled in. I start trying to get ahold of someone from the family but nobody is answering their fucking phone.  
I try Johanna then.

JOHANNAS POV

This is stupid. "I don't see why we have to do this when my cousin is ready to explode at any second." I'm sitting on the counter and I don't plan on working. My phones rington fills the air. "Sup?" I ask.  
"Thank The Lord." It's Loverboy.  
"What could you possibly need? In busy doing nothing." I say.  
"I'm busy driving Katniss to the hospital because her water broke."  
"FUCK!" I scream. "PUT YOUR SHIT DOWN! BRAINLESS IS IN LABOR!"

KATNISS'S POV

Ow. He let's me squeeze the fuck out of his hand. I'm laying in the hospital bed and only my Doctor is here. Her and Peeta calmly talk my through the most painful things in the world. I hear the door burst open and my mother rushes in.  
"I am so sorry! I told them that we shouldn't have left but nobody listens to the nurse!" She exclaims. She puts on gloves and slides her fingers inside of me. "Nine centimeters already...you'll be pushing soon." She says. Mama said that everyone in all three families screamed when they gave birth.  
I refuse to scream.  
I reach for Peeta's hand when another contraction hits and he lets me squeeze the hell out of it. After a few minutes, I start feeling like I need to push. I tell Mama and she checks me again. "Ten centimeters." She looks at my doctor and Peeta. "Alright. Start pushing Katniss. When we tell you to stop, you need to stop."  
I know Prim got out Chase in two big pushes. I start pushing and I hurts so bad. I don't make a sound, I just listen to what they say and hold the pain in. "Okay, okay, stop!" Mama says. I stop pushing. Soft wails fill the room. My doctor has Peeta cut the umbilical cord and then they wrap Hallie up in a soft pink blanket and she is handed to me. Mama stitches me back up. Hallie is screaming.  
She's the most adorable baby I've ever seen in my entire life. Cuter than the ones in the magazines. She has light brown, a mix of my hair and Peeta's hair. It's wavy.  
And her eyes. Oh my god.  
They are a mix of the sky on a clear blue day, and the ocean when it's clear. But it's cool, because their is a bit of gray in them too. Her nose is mine, and so is the shape of her face, but her upper lip is Peeta's and her lower lip is mine.  
My doctor takes over the stitching for my mother so Mama can take her and wash her clean. Her screams get terrifying. They change my sheets quickly, covering me with the hospital clothing. I scoot over and pat the spot next to me for Peeta. Mama puts her in a diaper and wraps her up in a fresh clean blanket. She carries her back over to us. "Peeta's turn." I whisper. Mama carefully hands Peeta Hallie.  
"We'll come back in a few minutes, okay?" Mama asks.  
"Okay. Can you bring Prim?" I ask.  
"And Rye and Graham? When you come back though, not now?" Peeta asks.  
"Sure," she smiles and disappears. She's staring up at the two of us, sucking her thumb, no longer crying.  
"Can Finnick be the godfather?" Peeta whispers. I smile.  
"If Annie can be the godmother." I whisper.  
"Okay," he whispers. "I love you." He kisses my lips. "And you, little one." He kisses Hallie's forehead.  
"I love you two. Both of you." I kiss his lips and then Hallie's forehead.  
We fall silent again, watching our daughter.  
"Wanna hold her?" He whispers.  
"If you want me to." He smiles and hands her over to me. She looks from Peeta now, to me.  
It's almost as if she's afraid to look away from me.  
We both stare adoringly at our daughter that neither one of us notice that Rye, Graham, Prim and Mama are standing at the bedside.  
"She's adorable." Rye whispers, making both Peeta and I look up. We move our feet and the three of them squish together into the bed.  
"Who first?" I ask. They all shrug. I look at Peeta.  
"Prim, I guess. She's closest." He says. I sit up and carefully place Hallie in Prim's arms.

And this is how the rest of our life starts.


	16. Chapter 16

Prim's eyes are welled with tears. "She's the cutest baby girl I have ever seen." She whispers. All of us smile.  
After almost five minutes, Prim's sighs. "I'm sorry…for hogging." She hands Hallie to Rye.  
"What are her eyes like?" He whispers.  
"Her eyes are perfect. Just wait and see." Peeta whispers. All of us can't wipe the smiles off our faces.  
"Okay, Johanna is going to kill us." Graham rubs his hands together after another five minutes. Rye hands him Hallie.  
When it's been four minutes of all of us just gazing at her, Mama leaves to collect everyone else.  
Graham hands her back to me just as the door opens and I hear footsteps and everyone shushing everyone. Johanna's eyes are filled with tears and it actually makes me do a double take. She doesn't say anything rude or sarcastic, she just snorts and rubs her eyes. "Can I?" she whispers. I nod and carefully pass her Hallie.  
Everyone gets their turn with her, all taking five minutes. After a long time, when she's with Brandon, who is the last to hold her, she starts screaming. He panics and hands her to me.  
It's actually quite startling. Her eyes lock with mine, and then with Peeta's, and then she silences.  
'She hates me." Brandon grumbles.  
"No she doesn't," I say. "She's just fussy from being passed around." I say. Peeta looks like he desperately wants to hold her but is afraid to ask. I smile at him as I hand her to him. "She's yours too, you can take her from me all you want." I whisper, resting my head on his shoulder.  
After a while, I drift off on his shoulder.

PEETA'S POV

She's fallen asleep, Katniss has.  
"Alright Peeta, she's going to hurt herself if she doesn't lay down." Mrs. Everdeen says.  
"Okay...who wants to hold her while-" Johanna shoots up so fast that she actually stumbles a little.  
I have never seen her look so hopeful, her eyes so full of love. I rise and hand her Hallie. Then she sits down and it's like she can't wipe the smile from her face. "When I lift her up, can someone move her pillows?" I ask. Finnick rises and moves to Katniss's pillows. I lift her up carefully and he moves the pillows and then I lay her down. I back up and Kat's hand shoots out of nowhere and grabs mine.  
"Don't go," she mumbles.  
"I'm no, I'm just going to sit right-" she scoots over and impatiently pats the spot next to her. "I can't, you need-"  
"Well do it anyways." She pulls me down next to her.  
"Katniss, I'm really not allowed-"  
"I don't care. Stay here and don't go," she opens her eyes this time. I'm still hesitant because Mrs. Everdeen said she needs to lay down and that clearly meant I can't sit with her.  
"Katniss, you need to be laying down." Mrs. Everdeen warns.  
"I am laying down." Katniss insists. She sighs quietly.  
"Your so stubborn. Fine, Peeta, you can stay with her." She says.  
"He was going to anyways, so..." Katniss trails off.  
"You need to sleep." I tell her. She's so stubborn that it's impossible to get her to do something. She mumbles something I don't hear. "What?" I ask softly.  
"Your shirt. Can I have it?" She mumbles. I sit up more and tug off my shirt and hand it to her. She inhales it deeply and sighs. "You smell so good. Like cinnamon and axe." She admits.  
I frown, "I don't wear axe."  
"I know you don't." She says. I smell my shirt.  
"I don't smell anything." I admit.  
"Let me." Finnick says. He takes my shirt and sniffs it. "Wow. You do smell good." He nods in approval.  
Before I know it, everyone is passing my shirt around.  
"Does he taste the same?" Rye teases. She grabs my hand and puts my finger, my middle finger, in her mouth and sucks on it.  
We all know what's she's thinking, and it's not kid appropriate.  
And the fact that she keeps her eyes locked with mine, that's what really tops it off. She waits until my jeans are too tight, and then she pulls my finger from her mouth with an innocent smile. "Better. You taste way better." She says innocently. The adults all laugh quietly.  
"You know out daughter is right there, right?" I say. She shrugs.  
"She's asleep and she won't remember anything." She mumbles.  
"Still..." I say.  
"So what your saying is, when she's older and it's nighttime and she's in bed, we won't have sex?" She raises her eyebrows.  
I hesitate and then sigh and punch her shoulder, hardly even touching her because I won't hurt her. "Your such a tease." I say.  
"I don't know what your talking about." She says innocently. "I just sucked on your finger, Peeta. What's so bad about that?"  
I know, that if she did not just have a baby, if there wasn't a ton of people in here either, we would be making out and it would lead to sex.  
She knows it too, and it leaves her with a breathy sigh.  
We're all silent, and Katniss begins to drift in and out of sleep, and soon enough, she's out.

…a…

KATNISS'S POV

It's much later when I wake again. It's actually eight or so at night. It's dark outside. Hallie is crying, and I can tell she has been for a while. Everyone is trying to calm her, and I can tell they have been for an hour.

I know what she needs. I take Hallie from Peeta, cover up my chest and expose myself. She latches onto me and falls silent.

PEETA'S POV

Katniss's expression right now is priceless. One side of her face is scrunched up and her lips are in an uncomfortable grin.

"What?" I ask.

"That's weird…" she squirms a bit and settle back down, sitting up now.

"I cannot _believe_ we didn't think of that." Johanna says.

"Me either." I reply.

KATNISS'S POV

"You guys should have woken me." I mumble.

"You need your sleep." Mama replies.

"I'm not tired." I reply.


	17. Chapter 17

I'm in the car, heading home. Everyone is going home next week. Mama says it takes eight to ten weeks for your uterus to go completely back to normal. I'm pissed off, because I always thought it was two. That's two months!

When we all arrive at the restaurant, I know something isn't right.

There isn't a person in sight.

It's five something. We're normally packed, especially at dinner time!

Peeta opens his mouth to ask me something, but I cut him off. "Did you close us today?" I ask.

"No, I was just about to ask you the same thing." He says. Our family is with us.

"We had everyone working today…" he walks to the kitchen and I follow him with Hallie in my arms.

"Oh my goodness!" Miranda gasps when she sees Hal.

"Wait, where is everyone?" I ask.

All of them furrow their eyebrows. "You sent down a letter from upstairs from your cousin to close the restaurant for the day, remember?"

I start shaking my head.

"No I didn't." I say.

"Yeah you did, see? It's even in your handwriting." Macy hands me a piece of paper. I shift Hallie in my arms and read it, instantly recognizing the perfectly straight handwriting, the kind that's really tall and big with the swirly S and A and G, as my own. And when I see the letter Z with the line through it, I know that whoever wrote this really knows my handwriting.

_I just wanted to let you guys know that you need to keep the restaurant closed to anyone that isn't a teenager that was one of my students, I realized that it's going to be a hassle to have customers here during the study group. Have them prove that I was their teacher and then let them in. _

_-Katniss_

"Katniss, that is your handwriting…" Peeta trails off.

"But I didn't write it, I swear to god!" I exclaim. He sighs.

"Okay…" he says.

'And what does my students have anything to do with this?" I ask.

"Beats me." he says. I frown and walk back to the front. There is only three other people that know my handwriting well enough to do this because their handwriting is the exact ame as mine, and it's Johanna, Prim and Annie.

"Did one of your three write this?" I say. They all three read it over my shoulder.

"No…" Jo says.

"Me either." Prim and Annie say together.

That's when I notice it.

The words "Ms. Everdeen" are erased.

One of my students wrote this.

I look around for any one of them but don't find them.

"This doesn't make sense." I say. I head upstairs, and Peeta follows me, both of us stopping when we get up there. All of my students are there, and the guy that fired me, and another man I don't know.

What the hell?

"Um…" I begin.

'Can we talk to you? Please?" Marshal demands. I look to Peeta. He takes Hallie from me.

"I'll be upstairs, come on guys!" he says to me before hollering for my family. They all come upstairs, confused a bit, and then they disappear. Johanna doesn't.

"Hey! Marshal!" she high fives him.

"Hey Johanna," he grins. Johanna shoots me a weird look and then goes upstairs. She leaves the door open a crack, and I know it's because she wants to be able to eavesdrop.

"Did one of you write this note-"

"I did. We all know what your handwriting looks like we worked really hard to make is close. Was it good?" Olive asks. She doesn't have her kid with her

"Yeah…what's all of this about…?" I ask.

"You and teaching." Marshal says. They're all sitting around. I raise my eyebrows.

'I can't teach anymore, you guys know that." I say.

"Actually, Ms. Everdeen-"

"It's Mellark, now, actually." I blurt, cutting off the man that fired me.

"Sorry, Mellark," he corrects himself. "Anyways…we looked into it. We were wrong for firing you." I fight rolling my eyes. "You see…these kids came into the school board and they said that every teacher at their high school are married, in a relationship or pregnant. It was wrong of us to fire you." I cross my arms and say nothing. "And we want you to take your job back, but at Eleanor Roosevelt High School." He says, "That's the same place all of your old student's go. You would teach Algebra One. It's only September so the year just started last month..." he says. I grit my teeth for a long time, thinking.

I miss teaching so much. "Obviously it would be after Maternity Leave." The man I don't know. "Hello, I'm Boggs, principle of Eleanor Roosevelt." He says as he sticks out his hand. I shake it, hesitating.

I'm not about to give in just because everyone wants me to.

"Why should I? You just fire me and then expect me to-"

"Sorry, I forgot my phone." Peeta says. He walks past me and I hear him mutter "Don't be rude to them, you've missed teaching, remember that." He disappears downstairs, and I know he didn't forget his phone.

"Why should I?" I ask. I'm honestly irritated. They fire _me_ and then have the _nerve_ to ask me to come back.

"Because we need you Ms. Everdeen, can we still call you that?" Parker asks.

"Yeah…why? Why do you need me? There are tons of other math teachers out there."

"But you make math fun, and your funny and nice and understand and your pretty and have better style than any teacher out there and you really help us to understand!" Ruth begs.

"Mrs. Mellark, please understand you don't need to give us an answer right now. Whenever you want, even if it's in July, come and give us the answer. We'll have your classes with a substitute for all the time you're not there. If you give us an answer, the sub leaves and you get your classes." Boggs says. "And we have another position for a teen living teacher, so if you have anyone that would like it, let us know." He says.

"Teen Living?" I repeat. "I've never heard of it."

"It's the class where you have to take care of the baby…" he trails off.

"Oh! Home Ec!" I say. "Or at least that's what it was called for me." I say.

"Right…well…when you decide yes or no, come to the office and ask to speak with me." he dabs at his forehead with a cloth.

"Wait, Ms. Everdeen," Olive begins. "We're all failing. All of us. I know I wasn't going to go back to school, but I did. That's beside the point. We're failing. My grades were so much better when you were our teacher. Please Ms. Everdeen, I'm begging you. Come back." Peeta's back, and heads for the door. 'Wait!" Olive says. He turns around. "You're her husband, right?" she demands.

"Yes…" he says.

"Will you be mad if she comes back? Back to teaching?" Olive demands. Peeta takes a deep breath. His eyes linger on mine, and I can see conflict in them.

PEETA'S POV

She's looking at me like she wants the answer. There's over a hundred something kids in here, and my wife, and two others. They _all_ want the answer, but in Katniss's eyes, she wants the answer, and she's practically screaming at me not to say the wrong thing.

_God, why did I have to be dragged into this?_

"Um…I…I…"

KATNISS'S POV

Peeta doesn't stutter. Ever. He always has a way with words. That is when I know he doesn't want to admit the answer. I know it's because of me. He can tell I want the right answer. He just doesn't know what it is.

"Just tell the truth, you're going to be telling me later anyways, whether you like it or not." I say.

"Fine…" he sighs. "No…I don't care if she goes back." He says. "Just…not too soon, she just had Hallie yesterday, for goodness sakes." He says.

"Good." Olive says. "That's really all…"

"We're gonna go." Boggs says. They all start to file out, leaving Peeta and I alone. "Oh, and Mrs. Ever-Mellark?" The principle comes up behind me again.

"Yes?" I ask.

"If need be, you can bring your daughter to work with you." he says. I raise my eyebrows.

"Every day?" I ask.

"Yes." He walks away again.

"You need to be resting." Peeta grabs my hand and pulls me upstairs, pushing me down on the couch.

I know everyone overheard. "Can I have your-" he tugs off his shirt before I even finishes the sentence and hands it to me. I really need to think right now. I llay down and put his shirt over my face.

"She wants you, Katniss." Peeta says after a while.

"Don't wake her up Peeta!" Mrs. Mellark scolds.

"She's not asleep," Peeta snaps. I move the shirt and take Hallie from him. She isn't hungry. I lay her on my chest and make sure she can breathe. She lays on me, in between my chest on her belly. She's crying, but I know she isn't hungry. There's always a cry when she's hungry and this isn't the cry. This is the Mama cry. She has a Mama cry and a Daddy cry. Peeta and I agreed on that last night. She keeps whimpering though. I put one hand on her butt and rub and pat her back with the other.

I cover my face again.

"Is she okay?" Johanna whispers. Peeta sighs.

"She's just thinking." He says. I hear a loud burp and then warm liquid starts to trail down my shoulder. I remove the shirt.

"Really?" I say. She does it again, and I sit up. Peeta looks at me, and the throw up, and then he takes Hallie.

"Go and take a shower, I'll take care of her."

…..s…..

I stand under the hot spray for a long time, just thinking.

_Is going back to teaching a good idea? I can remember the stress and the nights I came home crying, or was up all night grading. _

_I don't want to have to deal with that, because I'm married now, and I have a kid now. I can't be doing that. _

_But I know Peeta will help me, right? _

_Would someone be there? I wouldn't be able to do it on my own, especially with a newborn. _

_But she wouldn't be newborn. _

_There is no way in hell I would be going back to work as a fatass. _

_When I hit size zero, I'll go give Boggs my answer, but not until then._

_I need to talk to the family about this. They may be pains in the asses, but when something comes up, they're going to be there for you, and right now, I need them. _

I dry my body off and stare at myself in the mirror. I open up the bathroom door and then remember I'm completely naked.

"Babe?" I call.

"Yeah?" Peeta calls.

He knows what he's called. It's either "Peeta" or "baby" or "babe".

"Come here a sec?" I ask. He walks down the hall to me.

"Yes?" he asks.

"I forgot my clothes…and the towel can't fit around me…" I mumble.

"Want me to get you clothes?" he asks.

"Please," I smile.

"So your naked?" he asks, waggling his eyebrows at me playfully, trying to see around the door. I swat my hand at him, laughing.

"Just go get me some clothes, you needy boy." I say.

"Yes ma'am." He says. He walks across the hall. "This okay?" he holds up a lacy bra. I flick him off, and he starts laughing, and then I do, too. "How about this?" he holds up nothing, clearly suggesting that I wear nothing. I keep glaring at him, and he can't stop laughing. "Or this?" he holds up a thong. I sigh loudly.

"Get me some clothes before I beat your ass!" I hiss.

"Well you'd have to be in front of me in order for you to do that, and your naked, so-"

"I'll be less irritated when I'm back to size zero, not get me some clothes!"

"You look fine in what your wearing." He insists. "I'm not getting you clothes. He shuts the door to the bedroom and walks back to the living room.

"Peeeeeetttaa!" I whine. "Please?" I beg.

"What are you going to do for me if I get you clothes?" he asks from the living room.

What could be possibly want? I chew on my bottom lip for a moment.

"We can make out." I say.

"When?" he demands.

"Get your ass over here! You know I hate doing this! Just come here!" I complain. He walks back over to me. "Get me clothes and we can make out." I say. He hesitates.

"Fine." He walks across the hall to the bedroom and gets me underwear, no bra, his t-shirt that cuts low and sweats. "Here," he says. Then he stands in front of me, as if he's expecting something.

Everyone is silent, most of them watching from down the hall. They can't see me because the door is covering me. I smirk a little. "Sike!" I say loudly, slamming the door and locking it in his face.

"Hey!" he complains. I'm laughing so hard as I put a pad in the underwear and pull on my clothes, blow drying my hair and then stare at myself in the mirror, disgusted.

Just eight more weeks or so.

Just two months and you get your size zero back. I press my ear to the door to make sure he's not there, and then stick my head down the hall to make sure he's not near. I know he's going to attack, and when he does that, he wins.

I double and triple check again, and then dart across the hall to the bedroom, locking the door behind me as I put my dirty clothes in the hamper. I open the door and creep down the hall, peeking into the living room.

He doesn't attack me, thank god.

"Okay, I need some help." I say.

"Ah, I was waiting for it." Johanna says. I sit down on the couch.

"I don't now what to do. I want to teach again but when I did last time, I was so stressed. I has grading papers all night and I would come home hysterical. I was living off of 5-hour energy for almost a week. I don't know if I can do that again. Not with Hallie." I say.

"You wouldn't be alone. You were up all night last time because Olive didn't show up. And you'd have me to help you. How about we make a rule? No work after six at night." He suggests.

"If I have tests to grade-" I begin.

"Then I'll help you." he says.

"And I will." Annie says.

'Yeah kitty, we're here for you." Finn says.

"But don't do anything you don't want to do honey." Mama says.

"I want to do this." I mumble.

"Do it. But the second you have issues, just quit. It's not like we need the money anyways." Peeta says. It is true, but I'm not just going to quit, and he knows that. Everyone knows that. I don't give up that easily.

"Do me a favor, Kat?" Annie asks. I raise my eyebrows at her. "Tell Boggs I want to be the teen living class teacher for me?"

"Okay…I'm not going back until this is gone." I point to my stomach. "And I'm back in size zero." I add. Peeta sighs.

"You're not fat." He says.

"I didn't say I was fat Peeta." I mutter.

…s…

Three weeks later, I look to be five months when I'm zero months. We're at the park and Hallie is in her stroller. We're at central park and there is a ton of people here. He drops my hand.

"I wrote you a song." He says. I raise my eyebrows. "And I'm gonna sing it."

"Here?" I look around at the people nearby, some of them my students, who wave at me. I smile and wave back.

"Right here." He says confidentially.

"Is this embarrassing?" I ask nervously. He just smirks.

"I love you," he kisses me and pulls away. "Attention everyone! I have a song I'd like to sing to my wife here, if you're interested!" he shouts. My face begins to go hot from embarrassment when everyone stops what they're doing. I see a ton of my students are here, actually. We're in the middle of the park and this is really, really embarrassing.

Olive is here with her son and sister.

Everyone is staring at us.

"Peeta," I begin.

"YES DARLING?" he shouts.

"Peeta!" I whisper. Everyone raises their eyebrows.

He doesn't care.

I don't like where this is going.

"Peeta," I begin quietly again.

I really don't like where this is going.

Peeta looks around, and then he opens his mouth and begins to loudly sing.

_I have always been a little shy__  
__I've always been the quiet type till now__  
__And I never let my feelings show__  
__I never let anybody know__  
__Just how much I was so deep in love__  
__But now that you're in my arms___

_I'm gonna stand on a rooftop, climb up a mountaintop__  
__Baby, scream and shout__  
__I wanna sing it on the radio, show it on a video__  
__Baby, leave no doubt__  
__I want the whole world to know just what I'm all about__  
__I love to love you out loud__  
_

My face is beat red. Johanna, Annie, Blight, Finn, Prim, Alex and Chase are on backup, well not Chase. They literally just popped out of bushes and then disappear until they have a part.

___You keep bringing out the free in me__  
__What you do to my heart just makes me melt__  
__And I don't think I can resist__  
__But I've never been one to kiss and tell__  
__A love this true can't be subdued__  
__So I'm gonna let out a yell___

_Baby, I want the whole world to see__  
__Just how good your love looks on me___

_Baby, I love to love you out loud__  
__Yeah, I love to love you out loud_

He finishes the song and everyone starts cheering as he kisses me. "I love you, just saying." He whispers.

"I love you too. You're so embarrassing but I love you too." I mumble, hugging him. He smiles.

People just start walking away. This is the norm for New York City. My students are all laughing though. Peeta gets Hallie from her crib. She's wide awake and since it's not that cold outside, she's in baby pants and a onesie. It's pink and said "I'm cute, Mama's hot, Daddy's lucky"

I dressed her today, obviously. Peeta still hasn't noticed what it says. Someone taps my shoulder, and I turn around. It's a ton of my students.

"Can I see her?" Lauren asks. I hesitate.

"Okay," I take Hallie from Peeta. "Do you know how?" I ask.

"Yes, my sister had a baby last month." She smiles. She takes Hallie from me and positions her in her arms. "She's so cute! Guys, look at her outfit!" she exclaims. Everyone looks down at her outfit. Peeta peers over my shoulder and starts laughing when he sees it.

"Hey! When did you buy that?" he laughs and I smile.

"Um…I don't remember." I laugh. The kids start to pass around Hallie, and then she's passed back to me. She starts crying.

"Okay, lets head home." Peeta says.

…..s…..

I'm so happy that I scream bloody murder and start crying. Peeta comes racing into the room.

"What happened?" he asks. Hallie is asleep and her bedroom door is shut so I know she didn't hear because the rooms are soundproof. We keep on the baby monitor at all times. He is a good twenty feet from me. I run into his arms and kiss him senseless. I haven't let us make out. I shun him away whenever he tries because I always feel disgusting. The stitches are out. I pull away from him.

"Look at this!" I squeal, hopping down from him and unbuttoning my jeans and pulling them off.

"What?" he laughs. I show him the tag.

"ZERO PEETA! SIZE ZERO!" I scream. He laughs. "Do you know what this means?" I whisper.

I got my stiches out a month and two weeks ago. I'm back to normal, aside from my boobs.

"I hope I know what this means." He grins. I tug his shirt off.

"Size zero means I'm me again. And me again means kissing." I kiss him. "And kissing leads to sex." I smile evilly. "But let me call the pharmacy, I'm not ready for another baby yet." I say.

"Me either," he says. I call the pharmacy and get the pills ordered. Then I attack him, because I wasn't only starving myself.

….s…

When Hallie wakes later, we both get dressed. I'm so happy right now. I can lay on top of him again.

My jeans fit again.

I go all out in what I wear. I get white size zero extra skinny jeans and a hot red tank top that's skintight. I turn sideways in the mirror to see I'm tiny again. Then I pull on a lacy shirt over top of the tank top, and then I meet Peeta at the car. He's been waiting for ten minutes. He grins when I get in next to him with my sandals on that I haven't been able to fit in for forever. It's been eight weeks. Hallie is two months old. We stop by the pharmacy to get the pills and I take one right away. "Your not mad at me for starting these again, right?" I ask.

"Nope," he grins. He dials Johanna and Blight and Prim and Alex and tells them to meet up at Annie and Finn's, and then does the same forn Graham and Faith. We drive around the city to pass time, and when we get there, everyone is already there. I get Hallie from her carseat and walk in the house.

"I hve good news!" I say. Johanna takes Hallie right from me.

"And what's that?" Prim asks, trying to get Chase to stop crawling away from her as she changes his diaper. I unbutton my pants and take them off.

"Uh Kitty, what're you doing?" Finn laughs. I show Johanna the zero, and then everyone else, and they start cheering. I pull my jeans back on.

"Well you look great for just having a baby two months ago." Annie smiles. "Gimme my goddaughter." She steals Hallie from Johanna, who flicks her off.

"So Ann, what're you doing tomorrow?" I ask, starting to do cartwheels around their house because I couldn't do this for so long. Ten months, to be exact. It's November first. It's Sunday, tomorrow is Monday.

"Nothing, why?" she asks, laughing at me. I start to do backbends and rise up straight and do handstands back into the backbend.

"She must be good in bed." Graham jokes, earning a laugh from all of us except the babies and a nod and laugh from Peeta.

"Let's go get a job." I stand up straight.

"You want to go and get the job tomorrow?" she asks.

"Why not?" I demand.

"Good point. What time should I be there?" she asks.

"Well high school is different from middle school." I do a backhand spring. "And…I guess at nine. I'm not getting up at the asscrack of dawn to see if I'm getting a job." I say.

"Okay then." She smiles.


	18. Chapter 18

My alarm blares at eight the next morning. I groan in irritation and reach for it. It disappears and I hear a crash.  
"Dammit Peeta! Not again!" I sit up to see my phone in two parts on the floor.  
"Shit. Katniss, I'm sorry. I'll go get you a new one." He says.  
That's a terrible habit and he's done it three times. I sigh.  
"Don't. I'll deal with it later." I get up. I take a shower and then walk across the hall naked. Peeta does a double take and I just smirk. "We don't have  
time." I pull on a bra and underwear and then pull on some light blue skinny jeans that are size zero from Hollister. They fit perfectly.  
I pull on a skintight beige tank top and then a yellow and white see through three quarter sleeve shirt. It's striped. I blow dry my hair and roll on deodorant. I know Peeta's going to get mad, but I sneak into Hallie's room. She's sleeping soundly in her crib, sucking her thumb. I plant a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, bear." I whisper before sneaking back out and going into the bedroom.  
"You really need to stop doing that. She's going to wake up and she's going to scream for hours. Katniss, you know I'm right. You never wake a sleeping baby." Peeta says.  
"I didn't wake her." I pull on my white vans. He sighs.  
"Alright Katniss, alright." I brush past him to the kitchen and down two granola bars.  
Annie knocks on the door and walks into the living room.  
"Kat?"  
"In the kitchen!" I call, making sure there's plenty of milk to last Peeta the day. She walks in wearing her normal clothes. I chug some orange juice, brush my teeth, kiss Peeta goodbye and head out with Annie.  
We stop at verizon. The people here are familiar with me.  
"You had the baby!" Grant gasps. I laugh  
"Yeah. I need my phone again." I admit. He goes to the back and gets me the phone and sets it up and hands it to me. I pay him and head out.  
"Peeta is still breaking alarm clocks?" Annie asks.  
"Yes. This is like the forth time that he's broken my phone." I sigh and text him.  
Me: I got my phone fixed  
Baby: okay I love you  
Me: I love you too  
We pull in at Elandor Roosevelt High School and I go to the office. I've been here once or twice for softball games when I was in high school. I park the car, grab my bag and head inside.  
"What happens if I don't get the job? How an I getting home?" She asks.  
"Just take my car and I'll call Peeta and tell him to come get me." I reply. "Don't go and pay for a taxi. That's stupid." We walk into the office.  
"Hi! How may I help you?" The secretary asks. I think of Effie immediately.  
"Yes hi, I'm here to see Boggs?" I ask.  
"What's your name?" She asks.  
"Katniss Mellark." I say.  
"Oh yes, go on back." She says. "Down the hall. When you turn right, it's the first door on the left." She says. I nod and head down the hall. His door is shut. I knock.  
"Come in." He says. I open the door, a crack at first to make sure I'm not interrupting something and then walk in all the way. Annie lingers behind me. "Mrs. Mellark? My goodness! I told the students to weren't going to show! I really thought you wouldn't!" He exclaims. "Sit! Sit please, both of you!" he says. Annie stays close to me because it makes her comfortable. "So have you decided?" He asks.  
"I have, and I want to come back to teaching." I say. He grins.  
"Perfect! You got the job!" He says. He looks at Annie.  
"I'm here for the Teen class." She says.  
"Ah yes...we've been struggling with that class. We almost just got rid of it all together. What's your name?" He asks.  
"Annie Cresta." She smiles.  
"And you came here with Katniss?" He asks.  
"Yes. She's been my best friend since we were ten. We were Forster sisters till we were eighteen." She smiles.  
"Oh...just give me a moment." He hands her a form. "If you'll just fill this out." He hands her a pen and she fills out the form.  
"It's asking if I'm single...I have a boyfriend...does...does that count?" She asks.  
"Just put single. We'll change it if he pops the question." He says.  
She marks it as single and sits back. He's been typing away on his computer.  
He's googling her to see if she's done anything bad. He just did a background check on her and just finished her Facebook.  
"Alright..." He looks the fork over. "Well...you've got the job. The kids are in forth period right now and lunch, you both have the same lunch, but it's next. Do you want me to show you to your classrooms? Together? So you both know where your rooms-oh, I'll just give you a tour of the school." He rises.  
Annie and I follow him.  
"Are we allowed to wear what we want as long as we follow the dress code?" I blurt.  
"Of course you can. Oh, and Katniss, you can bring your daughter wit you to work whenever you need to. You sit even have to ask." He says. "Just no breast feeding in class."  
"Okay, thank you, really." I smile.  
I may have to. Today is a test on how she does. "If my husband is watching her and there's a problem, is he allowed to come in?" I ask.  
"Of course. Family first Katniss." He smiles. "We had to move the teen room all around so right now it's right next door to Katniss's. There's even joint doors and you guys share an office. Is that alright?"  
"That's wonderful." We say.  
"And that's basically it. Katniss, this is your room and your key, and Annie, this is your room and your key." We're all the way at the end of the hallway and my room is right across from her. I know there is going to be a door in my room and a door in Annie's room that leads to the same office. "Katniss, do you mind waiting here while I get Annie settled?" He asks.  
"Not at all." I wait outside of the door as he takes Annie into the room. She is going to be a perfect teacher. I wait almost ten minutes and then he comes back alone.  
"Alright...your classes are literally your classes from last year with the exception if some tenth graders that failed Algebra one and some other ninth graders. He opens the door. The kids are doing worksheets. He leads me into the room.  
"Ms. Everdeen!" Olive gasps. Every head snaps up.  
"Hey guys," I smile.  
Boggs goes over and speaks to the substitute. She looks immensely amused.  
"Good! Thank god! I quit!" She shouts. Boggs looks shocked, every kid looks a bit shocked and I'm just dumbfounded. She gets up and flees the classroom, crying.  
"Is that all you need?" Boggs asks quietly.  
"I guess..." I look around at the bare walls.  
"Okay..." He heads out of the class.  
I watch from the window until she's gone and then drop my bag on the floor.  
"How many if you have had me before?" I ask. Everyone raises their hands. "Are their any tenth graders in here?" Two people rise their hands.  
"Oh hey! Madison," I exclaim. I forgot the other girls name. "I know I had you, but what's your name again?" I ask. She laughs.  
"Hallie Richards." She says.  
"Hey! It's that your daughters name?" Olive asks.  
"Yes." I smile. "So...are you guys going to tell me how bad you tortured that lady?" I ask. They all know how I get with them being mean to substitutes I've been a substitute before, and I went home in tears.  
Everyone avoids my eye contact.  
"Actually, I really don't want to know." I move to the office and stick my head inside, tossing my purse on the table. Annie won't care. I can hear laughter, not because someone said something funny, but mocking laughter. I walk across to Annie's door and open it a crack. Their all laughing at her because she's writing on the smart board with an expo marker.  
I start laughing too, and I recognize most if these kids too, some of them having gone to the school I taught at or I taught them myself.  
"Annie." I move to the front of the classroom.  
She's confused. "What?" She asks.  
"This is not an expo board." I say. "It's like a giant tablet." I say. "See?" I pick up the red marker and draw swirls on it with my finger.  
Her face gets red hot.  
"Uh..." She begins to panic. I out the maker back and get some paper towel and hand sanitizer. I wash down the board.  
"Guys, don't be mean to Ms. Cresta. It's literally her first day ever teaching. Be nice to her." I say. "You come get me if there's a problem and I'll she you how to write a detention." I say. Annie laughs.  
"Thanks Kat." She whispers. I just nod and go back to my room.  
"Okay, so what are you guys learning?" I ask.  
"To be honest, we don't know." Hallie admits.  
It's weird to call her Halle and not picture my daughter. I pick up her worksheet.  
Every one if her answers are wrong. I snort and grab olives, and then everyone else's, fingering through them to see their all wrong.  
"Well...that's depressing." I toss them in the garbage. Their doing slope intercept and linear equations.  
"How long ago did you have your baby?" Olive asks.  
"Two months and one day." I say. She coughs.  
"And those are your regular jean size?" She asks.  
"Yes." I say. Her eyes bludge.  
"If you don't mind me asking, what is your regular jean size?"  
"Well..." I grab the still and sit down. "Let's just talk and catch up. I'll out you guys to work tomorrow or something." I say. "And it's a zero. My regular-" I shift and my phone slides right out of my pocket and to the floor. I sigh sharply and pick it up.  
Cracked. Just the screen though, but still. "My regular size is zero. But to be honest, I was huge when I was pregnant and I was disgusted with myself and I was going on a huge cursing rage and I was throwing clothes at my husband." I laugh. "And I told him it was his fault for getting me pregnant." I admit. Every starts laughing. "And then he kept apologizing and I yelled at him and told him he was annoying. I refused to let him hold my hand or hug me it anything until I was back to size zero." I admit. Everyone laughs harder.  
"So...central park." Olive smirks, causing everyone to start laughing. I groan. "Oh come on Ms. Everdeen! It was so adorable!"  
"And embarrassing." I reply.  
"But sweet." Olive smiles.  
"So tell us about your husband! Is he the same guy you were dating! Tell us everything! Your love story and everything!" Hallie exclaims.  
"Well...yes it is. I've known him my whole entire life. Our families were inseparable until we were ten. Johanna and I and him and his brother and everyone ditched school and went to Central Park." I begin, taking a deep breath. "Oh September 11th, 2001." Everyone's eyes go huge. "Then the terrorist attack happened and...long story short, we speedsters until May of last year on Johanna and I's birthday. Johanna, not surprisingly, dragged me into her bar and Peeta showed up. We started out friends and then we kissed and ended up dating, he proposed, I said yes, and then my sister got pregnant and when she had the baby, we got married and didn't realize I was already pregnant. And then nine months later Hal was born." I say.  
"She has the same name as me?" Hallie smiles.  
"Yes." I smile, too.  
"I can't believes you went back to your regular size! I didn't! Didn't you eat a ton of junk foods?" Olive exclaims.  
"I are so much junk food that I threw up. I have really high metabolism though, everything I eat burns right off." I say.  
"Lucky!" Olive says.  
"Oh come on." I smile.  
"What? I'm a fat girl with a kid at fourteen." She says.  
"You are not fat. Everybody is beautiful." I say. My phone chimes eight times in a few seconds.  
I look down and unlock it.  
Baby: Katniss  
Baby: I'm so sorry  
Baby: I can't do this  
Baby: she keeps screaming  
Baby: I've tried everything  
Baby: help  
Baby: Katniss she wants you and she won't stop and she's going to get herself sick. What do I do?  
Baby: I'm so sorry  
Me: just come. Boggs said that you and her can come whenever I want. Just bring her. Give her something to make her sleep or something. Can we do that, or is that bad?  
Baby: idk Katniss. I really wanted to be able to do this to show you in worthy but I can't. She likes you more  
Me: I know your worthy Peeta, you know I know that. Just come.  
"Are you okay?" Olive asks me.  
"I'm fine." I start to put my phone away but it chimes again.  
Baby: are you sure?  
Me: yes Peeta just come  
Baby: okay. Do you want food? I'll bring you food.  
Me: I'll eat later is something. Come on before she makes herself pass out  
Baby: ok  
"How long is left in here?" I ask.  
"Like...I think forty minutes." Caitlin says.  
"Well then your going to meet my husband and my daughter." I say.  
Everyone's eyes light up. "And I apologize in advance because she's going to be screaming and he's going to be apologizing a million miles a minute." I say.  
We continue to chat, and soon enough, we trail off mid sentence when we hear screams of a baby down the hallway when get louder until Boggs is taking Peeta into the room. Boggs nods at me and leaves.  
"Katniss I am so sorry I tried everything I even called your mom. Katniss I really am sorry." I ignore him as I take Hallie from him. He keeps going and going and it starts to get annoying.  
"Peeta, I mean this out of love when I say shut up." I say. His mouth shuts. "You know I hate when you apologize like that." He exhales.  
"I know, and I'm sorry, but-sorry-I...I mean-sorry I keep-" he exhales loudly. "I'm gonna go sit down." He mumbles. She's trying to nurse.  
"No." I say, moving her so her head is on my shoulder. "Peeta, would she take the bottle?" I ask.  
"She spit it right up." He says.  
"Did you tell me mom?" I ask.  
"Mm hm. She said she wants you and she doesn't like the bottle." He says. I sigh.  
"Well she needs to stop not liking the bottle." I grumble. "Oh yeah, guys, this is my husband, Peeta. Peeta...this is forth period." I say.  
"Hi," Peeta says. Everyone waves.  
"Nice show at Central Park, Mr. Mellark." Hallie says.  
Peeta smirks at me. Hal is still crying, just not as bad.  
"Did you try to pacifier?" I ask.  
"She spit it out." He replies. I sigh.  
"Did you let her suck your skin?" I ask.  
"No. That's weird." He says. I expose my shoulder slightly, and since her head is there, she starts to suck on the skin. "Where's Annie's room?" He asks.  
"Through that door." I say, pointing.  
"Her class is?" He asks.  
"No, our office is." I say.  
"You get to share an office?" He asks.  
"Yes, and it's h-" Hallie coughs up all over my shoulder and it starts drizzling down my front. A lot of my students start laughing. Peeta bites his lip to keep from laughing. I sigh when she does it again and then move to Peeta and hand him Hallie as I get a clean burp cloth from the diaper bag and hand it to Peeta. He starts to burp her and I get wipes and start to clean up the spit up. Hallie starts to scream again. I finish wiping up the throw up and I take her back from him and add the cloth. She silences immediately.  
"Do you remember the first year we had you?" The other Hallie asks me.  
"Yes." I say.  
"Remember when we caught you singing?" Caitlin asks.  
"You can sing?" Parker demands.  
"No." I lie.  
"Oh please." Peeta says. "Your lying. She's lying." He says.  
"Yes you can! I remember because I wish you had songs I could download!" Hallie exclaims.  
"Fine...yes, I guess I can sing. I get it from my father mostly, but my mother, too."  
"You should sing something." Peeta says casually. Everyone starts agreeing. They get too loud and Hallie starts crying.  
Thankfully, the bell rings, sending them off to lunch and leaving Peeta and I alone. Annie joins us eventually and we all talk the whole time. Hallie eventually falls asleep and Peeta takes her back.  
"Okay, I'm gonna go home." He says.  
"Why?" I ask.  
He just shrugs.  
"She's going to wake up again. And then she's going to start screaming again." I warn. He sighs.  
"Well...her immune system isn't strong enough for her to be here." He says. I sigh.  
"Alright..." I say glumly.  
"Do you want me to stay? I bet she'll be fine..." He says.  
"No...it's okay. You want to go home." I don't want him to go and I don't want Hallie to go.  
I have major freak attacks when I'm away from Hallie and I worry really bad.  
Peeta knows it, too. I went to Johanna's one time without Hallie and I came home hysterical and I slept with her that night.  
He can see it in my eyes. "I'll stay." He says. The bell rings and Annie goes back to her room. I keep my back turned and I'm still in my desk chair. Peeta doesn't question me. "So Brandon wants to babysit Hal on black Friday while we're out. I said that we'd pay him…" he eyes are weary.  
"No." I whisper.  
"Come on! It won-"I'm to have to watch her alone over night because everyone else is going to be shopping." I whisper.  
"We're going to be gone over night. She can't come with us." he says. "And it's crazy out there. You and I both know that we don't want our two month old out on Black Friday."  
"Fine, I just won't go." I say.  
"Katniss, Brandon is going to be sixteen in February. I think he's responsible enough to watch her." He whispers. Everyone bursts out laughing behind me, and Peeta looks up and his eyes fill with concern. I look over my shoulder to see a girl who I had, who was always the most quiet one, but always has straight A's. Her name is Sophia. She's hysterically crying.  
I don't think they realize it's me as the teacher. She sits down in her desk and puts her head down and just cries, and instead of someone going to see what's wrong with her, they all point and laugh.  
Now they've pissed me off.  
"Nerd!" Someone throws a piece of paper at her, and suddenly, I'm zapped back in time.

"Your such a whore. Katpiss, everyone hates you. You don't deserve to live! Nerd!" Glimmer snarls, throwing a piece of paper at me.

I stand up so fast that I knock my chair over. "Katniss, easy." Peeta whispers.  
"Would someone please tell me what's so funny?" I ask loudly, angry. Everyone silences, all of them obviously surprised to see me.  
"Ms. Everdeen! You're not supposed to be here!" Heather exclaims.  
I hate her, too. She's a bully. She's like Glimmer. "Yes I am. Why in the world do you guys think it's funny that Sophia is hysterical?" I ask.  
"We don't think it's funny!" Krista defends herself. I walk over to the paper they threw at her. "Oh, you don't need to read that-" I unfold the paper and see the word "WHORE" written on it. And then there are signatures of everyone in the class. I grit my teeth.  
"Let me tell you guys a little story. Sophia, do you need to go to the restroom?" I ask. She nods and gets up and leaves. "When I was in high school, I almost killed myself." I say. Everyone stays silent.  
They've pissed me off beyond belief, and I've never actually lectured them like I'm going to, but I'm going to, because this pissed me off.  
"You know why?" I ask. Everyone shakes their heads. "I was bullied. I didn't speak to anyone except for Johanna, Annie and my sister, Prim. I had nobody but them. I wanted to die. I failed a lot of classes, I started to not eat, I almost started cutting myself. The kids in my class were so rude. They threw papers at me, exactly like this one! I left the classes almost every day and cried my eyes out in the bathroom so hard that I made myself sick. I got suspended for having too many absences." I say. Everyone begins to look sorry. "Now, and I don't care how much trouble I get in for cursing, but why the hell would you go and bully her! Why? What did she do to you? Why do you find pleasure in sending her out of the class in tears?"  
"Ms. Everdeen-" Heather begins.  
"No, don't interrupt me when I'm talking." I say. She sighs. "Do you guys think it's funny? She's crying because of you guys. What the hell is so funny? Why would you write whore on this and then sign it? Why? What's so funny about that? How is she a whore? Because she has better grades then you? Because she's quiet? Because she raises her hand and tells the answers? She studies. She does her work. She doesn't screw off and sit on the internet all day when she gets home! If I ever see you guys do some much as glance at her weird, I'll write every single one of you detentions. I don't care if it's in my class or not. Leave her alone. She didn't do shit to any one of you." I rip the paper up into a million pieces and drop it in the garbage. "Now put your heads on your desk and shut up or I'm giving all of you detention." I snap. "Stay there for the rest of the period. And go head and tell the principle on me. I don't really care." I add. "Oh, and when she comes back, you all better look her in the eye and apologize and then put your heads right back down." I say.  
They all put their backpacks on the floor and put their heads on their desks.  
I go back to my seat, completely upset and angry. Peeta grabs my hand and raises it to his lips, and then he starts to rub small circles on it.  
A couple minutes later, Sophia slowly walks into the door.  
I loudly clear my throat and everyone looks up.  
"Sorry Sophia." They say together. She just shrugs in response and goes to her desk.  
She looks around in confusion when she sees that everyone has their heads down.  
"Don't worry Sophia, they won't be bothering you anymore." I say, putting my feet up on my desk and sitting back. "Oh, and their heads are down because they deserve it. You can do whatever you like for the rest of the period." I say. She looks at everyone again.  
"Where did that paper go?" she whispers.  
"Oh, that's gone. Don't worry about what was on it. It's not important." I say.  
"You know how easily you could be fired right now, right?" Heather snaps at me.  
"Do you know how easily I could get all of you expelled for bullying?" I retort. Panic flashes in her eyes and she puts her head back on her desk. Sophia is writing or drawing in her journal, and everyone has their heads on their desk.  
After a while, the bell rings and they all file out.  
The new class files in, and they all begin to talk, hardly noticing me. When the tardy bell rings, I rise from my chair and move to the front of the room.  
"Ms. Everdeen!" Hanna gasps. Everyone starts to talk at once.  
"Hi guys," I smile.  
"you just had a baby? And your married? Are we ever going to officially meet them?" Tabitha demands.  
"Well…that's my husband back there, his name is Peeta." I smile. "And Hallie is asleep back there in the carseat."  
"She's not asleep anymore." Peeta says.  
"She isn't?" I ask. He shakes his head.  
"But don't come and get her because she's going to get used to-" I get her anyways, and he sighs. I rest her head on my shoulder and move back to the front.  
"I don't see what the big deal is." I say.  
"If you keep doing that, she's going to get used to someone being there right when she wakes up." He says. "And she's always going to want to be held."  
"Well I always want to hold her," I say. "And how do you know? Do you have another baby you're not telling me about?" I ask. He rolls his eyes and moves to the front.  
"No. But I remember when Audrey was a baby." He says.  
"Did you ask my mother about it?" I ask.  
"No, but-"  
"Then it doesn't matter." I say.  
He sighs. "Where's all the markers?" he asks.  
I look behind me and lean back to far and fall backwards off the stool. Everyone gasps. "Oh my god!" Peeta panics and pulls me off the floor. Hallie starts screaming. "Are you okay?" he asks.  
"Fine. I'm fine." I rub her back. Everyone looks alarmed. I move to the diaper bag and try to get her to take the binky, but she spits it out . I try the bottle and she just spits it up, and I check her diaper to find it clean. She needs to stop screaming. I bounce her around for a while, and eventually she silences. "I'm sorry. I'm probably the most unstable person you'll ever meet."

…..a…..

Right when Peeta, Annie and I get home, I expose myself and feed Hallie, because she refuses to drink from the bottle. She's been screaming since the bell to end the day rang.  
After I burp her, I get her to sleep and then put her to bed, Annie having changed her diaper in the car.  
I walk back to the living room. The front door bursts open and Johanna races into the room, sobbing.  
Johanna Marie Mason does not cry. "Jo?" I ask, alarmed. She hugs me, crying into my shoulder, pulling Annie into the hug. We hug her back, and after nearly five minutes, she pulls away, shaking her head.  
"What happened?" Annie and I ask at the same time.  
"Blight. We broke up." She says. Peeta disappears and comes back with what I call "comfort food" which is chocolate, mac and cheese and hot chocolate. He sets it on the coffee table and gets my blanket that I use when I'm upset. Johanna sits on the couch and he drapes the blanket over her shoulders. Finn walks in the house.  
"Where's my godbaby?" he demands.  
"Asleep," Peeta says. "Let's go watch the game." Finn rubs his hands together and follows Peeta down the hallway.  
"Why?" Annie asks. She shrugs.  
"He'd been being an ass lately. I asked him why that we've been dating for six years and not once has be said I love you or anything. We got into a fight, he grabbed his shit and left. That's it. Now I'm going to have to move back in with my parents because I can't afford shit. The bar…I didn't tell you guys but I've been foreclosed on." She starts to eat the ice cream.  
"You can't move back to Kentucky!" I cry out.  
"I haven't got a choice!" she says back. Hallie starts crying and I get up.  
"I'll be right back." I storm down the hallway and get her from her crib. Peeta meets quickly up with me.  
"Let's hire Johanna." He says.  
"She doesn't have enough money to keep her apartment." I sigh. He looks around.  
"Katniss…we have four rooms." He whispers. "Two are occiupied, but…are you okay with her moving in?" he asks.  
"I'm okay with it, are you okay with it?" I ask.  
"Yes." He whispers. "Tell her to move in with us."  
"I will," I walk out.  
Hallie likes to lay on her stomach on the floor and play with her toys. Since she is only two months, she cann't do much. She can lift her head up for a minute at most, she laughs when you play with her and she smiles, but that's it. I get her toy basket and sit down on the floor, laying down her baby blanket and setting her toys in front of her. She lays on her stomach and plays with them, lifting her head occasionally and putting it back down.  
"I'm really going to miss her." Johanna sniffs.  
"When are you leaving?" Annie whispers.  
"Friday." She mumbles.  
"You're not leaving, actually." I say.  
"What the hell are you talking about, Brainless?" she demands.  
"First of all, your hired, second of all, your moving in, third of all, your welcome." I say.  
"Wait…what? Your hiring me? And letting me move in?" she asks.  
"Yes, Johanna." I sigh.

…s…

She moved in by Friday. It's the Friday before spring break and I leave tomorrow at seven in the morning to go to Kentucky and the families are so excited to see Hallie because the last time they saw her, she was a week old.  
"Ms. Everdeen, what are you doing for your break?" Sophia asks.  
"Well…I'm going to Kentucky for the week." I shrug.  
"Why Kentucky?" Hanna asks.  
"Because that's where my family lives." I smile.  
"Oh…" she trails off.  
"Yeah," I smile.  
The bell rings and they file out. The other kids come on.  
"Please tell me we're not working today!" Chad begs. I laugh.  
"You're not the only one that doesn't want to be here." I say.  
"So what are we doing?" he asks.  
"Um…" I sigh. "Here, this is what the other classes did." I pass out drawings that need to be colored. "Go crazy." I say.  
"This is why your my favorite teacher. Is this for a grade?"  
"I'll just give you all ten points for today." I say. I go to my laptop and start to music from my iTunes and sit back at my desk, propping my feet on my desk and pulling out my phone.  
Baby: we have a slight change of plans…  
Me: and what's that?  
Baby: well…we need to leave at six tonight. Johanna is working and I need to run a few errands. You have papers to grade and stuff to patch up and I can't watch Hallie. Everyone else is at work and Chase is at daycare.  
Me: so just bring Hallie into the office and the secretary'll bring her up to me. She always does that.  
Baby: ok  
I begin to get bored, so I start to spin around in the chair. I hear blabbering and screaming from down the hall and then the door opens and the secretary walks in with a grin on her face, the diaper bag and Hallie, who is making loud noises. She carries her over to me.  
"Thanks," I smile and take Hallie from her.  
"I love your daughter. I'm attached." She smiles and walks out. I put my feet back on my desk and Hallie keeps giggling.  
"She's so cute." Hanna comments. I smile. "She looks just like you."  
"Thanks," I say. I lay her back against my legs.  
"Do you listen to Kellie Pickler?" Sophia asks.  
"Yes, why?" I ask.  
"What's her favorite song of yours?" she asks. I go through iTunes and click on "Best Days Of Your Life"  
"I love this song!" Hanna gasps. Everyone starts agreeing and singing along. After a while, Hallie starts crying. I get the bottle from the diaper bag. It's too cold.  
"Hey, which one of you guys want to do me a favor?" I ask.  
A ton of hands raise and they all start being loud. I always call on the quietest one, which in this case is Franchesca. She walks over to me.  
"This is sixth period, right?" I ask.  
"Yes," she says.  
"Good, go across the hall to teen living to Ms. Cresta and tell her that I need this bottle warmed up." I say. "She's in planning." I add.  
"Okay," she takes the bottle and the hall pass and comes back a minute later with her hands empty except for the pass. "She's warming it up." She says.  
"Okay," I smile and text Peeta.  
Me: so are you gonna tell me why we have to go early?  
Baby: because our parents are whining about how theyre missing out on all our lives and they want us there sooner.  
Me: okay. I'm not going to do that group shit with them. I really hate that, and I know you too  
Peeta: yes I do, and it's gonna suck.  
"Did you hear the news Brainless?" Johanna walks into my classroom.  
"Aren't you supposed to be working?" I narrow my eyes.  
"No, Peeta told me to pack." She says.  
"Hi Johanna!" Everyone exclaims.  
"Sup," she nods at them and walks over to me, pushing some stuff off my desk and sitting down.  
Hallie can roll over, too.  
….s….  
"We're going to miss our flight you two! Lets go!" Peeta shouts from the living room. I zip up my suitcase and run down the hall.  
We get to the airport and get on the flight and she falls asleep on my lap and I hold her as close to me as possible.

…s…

Peeta and I are arguing the entire way to my parents from the airport, and everyone just puts up with it.  
"I told you no work this week!" he says.  
"I'm twenty four, Peeta. I can do what I want." I snap. We continue to bicker when we pull into the driveway.  
"I don't care! This is not time for work, Katniss." He snaps as I get Hallie and he gets the diaper bag.  
"It's just papers to grade Peeta, I don't see the big deal!" I snap. Finn sighs sharply and opens up the door. Hallie has her head resting on my shoulder and she's playing with my hair.  
"You know what the big deal is." He says.  
"No, I don't. I thought you said you would help me? What ever happened to that?"  
"I will help you, but it doesn't mean I'm okay with it." He says. I sigh. Hallie starts making loud noises, trying to get attention. We continue to bicker.  
She violently tugs my hair. "Ow!" I gasp. I didn't mean to snap, and she starts crying.  
"Now look what you did." Peeta takes her from me.  
Now I'm upset, because he never does that when I do something wrong. "I'll be back in a little while." I avoid is eye as I slip out the door. It's snowing and it's been snowing in New York.  
"Kat, wait." He follows me. Hallie is with someone else now, probably our parents. I head for the park, and he jogs to catch up with me. We move away from the vhildren and way away from anyone. Then I sit down. He sits in front of me so we're facing one another.  
"I'm sorry Peeta. I won't work this week, I promise." I say.  
"Wait…I want to talk to you about something important." He says, molding some snowballs and then smashing them. "But first…" he pulls my lips to his and kisses me for a long time. "I'm sorry for being an ass back there. I love you and Hallie more than anything in the entire world."  
"I love you too. I'm sorry too." I mumble.  
"Do you like it out here? In the country?" he asks.  
"Yes. I love it out here." I admit.  
"I hate the city." He blurts. "Katniss, what happens when she's older? What happens when she can open doors and she goes downstairs, out into the street and bam-" he claps his hands. "Just like that, our baby is gone. Katniss, that scares me. I don't like the city. It's not safe, it's not sanitary…it's bad. You know someone broke into the restaurant last night? They didn't take anything, but they broke it. Katniss, we were upstairs. I was to move Katniss. I want to move to the country with you and Hal and Finnick and Annie and Johanna and Prim and Alex and Chase. I want to move. We can expand the restaurant by turning our house into a third floor for private spots." He says.  
"You want to move to the country?" I ask.  
"Yes…maybe we can get a deal on Firday?" He asks.  
He;s right. When Hal is older, when she's two, shes going to be adventurous. She's going to take off. She;s going to get hit.  
New York City is not safe to raise children.  
"Okay. Let's move." I say.  
"Really?" his eyes light up.  
"Yeah, let's go look at houses."

…s…

"you guys are moving?" Mama demands. Her and Mrs. Mellark are obsessing over Hallie.  
"Yes." I say.  
"What about me?" Johanna demands. I look at Peeta.  
"Wanna come?" he asks.  
"Kay," she doesn't even care, and it's funny.  
"Hey! What the fuck guys!" Finn complains.  
"I wanna go." Annie mumbles.  
"Me too. Let's go with them." Finn says. Peeta and I roll our eyes.  
"Wait, why are you moving?" Prim demands. Peeta goes on to explain, and I start to have a small anxiety attack, which sometimes happens when I think about things happening to Hallie.  
"Are you having another anxiety attack?" Peeta demands.

PEETA'S POV

She scares me so much when she does this. She sits there with tears streaming down her face, staring at Hallie. Then, when she's placed in her arms, she refuses to let anyone touch her or take her.  
"What's wrong with her?" Johanna demands. I'm the only one that's witnessed what happens, and she doesn't let me tell people. I take Hallie from her mother and my mother and hand her to her.  
"She's having an anxxeity attack. Whenever she thinks of something bad happening to her, she starts freaking out. Don't try to take her until she puts her down. If you do, she's going to freak out." I say. Katniss cradles Hallie against her chest. It takes her a few minutes to stop staring at her.  
"You do that too, honey?" Mama asks.  
"Do what?" she asks.  
"The anxiety attacks. I did that with you and Prim."  
"I do that with Chase." Prim admits.  
"Yeah, and it scares the hell out of me." Alex says.  
"It scares the hell out of me too." I admit. Katniss looks down at Hallie and kisses her right on her lips. Hallie starts crying and then begins to tug Katniss's shirt. She's only about twelve weeks old, or eleven. She's going to be three months in ten days today, so she's eleven weeks. I tug my shirt off and hand it to her. She sits back and puts her feet on the coffee table and lets her eat.  
"So you really think she's going to get hit by a car and die?" Prim asks. Katniss looks like she's going to start crying.  
"Prim honey, Katniss and Peeta are right. The city is so dangerous and once they learn to open doors, they're going to be exploring. I remember when Katniss was two, she ran out into the street and got ran over." Mrs. Everdeen says.  
"Oh, I remember that. She nearly gave us all a heart attack." Mom says.  
"What?" Katniss asks.  
"Well it was in the space between the tires, but you ran right out and I was hysterical. If Hallie's moved over even a little bit, I bet her body will be sticking to the tire and-"  
"Stop! Shut the fuck up!" Katniss says, panicked. "Don't say that!" She moves the shirt a little bit to watch Hallie. "Stop it! It's not going to happen so just drop it okay?"  
"That'll happen?" Prim whispers. Chase is going to be one on the 31st and he can stand up. Prim picks him up and refuses to let him go. "Alex, I'm moving with Katniss and Peeta whether you like it or not." She says. Katniss covers herself and burps her, and then makes her fall asleep, and then she lays her on her chest.  
"I'm coming then." Alex says.  
"Hey! Listen to this house!" I show Katniss the screen of my laptop and she rests her head on my shoulder as I start to read. "Spacious contemporary style home nestled atop eleven point six acres overlooking Derby Pond. Featuring five bedrooms, two point five bathrooms, attacked and over-sized two plus car heated garage, a large deck that spans the front length of the house and an outdoor pellet furnace to help keep heating cost affordable (efficient oil boiler and gas fireplace for supplemental heating options.) The first floor offers cathedral ceilings and hardwood floors in the living room, kitchen and dining area, a spiral staircase to the loft, master suite with walk-in closet, tiled shower and garden tub, two additional bedrooms and a mudroom. The walkout lower level is partially finished with a family slash rec room, two spare bedrooms and two additional rooms that can be used for game, workout, theater, and exedra. Well landscaped lot with numerous trees including two hundred plus cedars and several mature apple trees. Convenient to Derby amenities, direct access to VAST (snowmobile trail) and just a short distance from lakes. Great location just off the main road, yet feels like the country. "  
"Damn. I know you guys have your own restaurant, but do you have that much money for that?" Haymitch asks.  
"It's only 1,402 a month and we make more than that." I say. "And we're expanding the restaurant, which will bring in more money." I say. Katniss starts scrolling through the pictures.  
"It's nice." She says.  
"Nice enough to live in?" I ask. This is like the tenth house I've found and she's hated all of them.  
"Yes." She yawns.  
"Are you falling asleep?" I ask. She makes a noise. I look down at her to see she's indeed fallen asleep.  
"Now I can take my grandbaby back." Mom says.  
"Go ahead and try. She how fast she slaps you." I reply.  
She does try. Katniss wakes right up and raises her hand. I catch her wrist.  
"You can hold her later." she says.  
"Told you." I say. Mom sighs.  
"Please? You get to have her all the time!"  
"Because I'm her Mama." Katniss lays down.  
KATNISS'S POV  
…a…

I wake up; panic coursing through my veins when I see Hallie is gone.  
"Relax." Peeta puts his hand on my shoulder. "I just had to change her diaper. Here," he hands her back to me. I lay her back down on my chest. I've taken up the whole couch. My legs have slide onto Peeta's lap and my head on Finn's lap.  
"I'm sorry, I'll-"  
"Your fine kitty, I like playing with your hair." Finn admits.  
"You're not fine, actually." Peeta says. I sit up, and he rotates me so my legs are in Finn's lap and my head is in his lap. He starts running his fingers through my hair, kissing my forehead. I end up drifting off again.

PEETA'S POV

She's out again. I keep running my fingers through her hair.  
She stays asleep for a long time. By the time the pizza is here, she's still out.  
"Baby," I whisper. She doesn't move. "Kat." I say louder. "Katniss!" she doesn't move. I tap her cheek impatiently. She doesn't even stir. "Katniss!" I bump her head with my knee. She groans and puts her hand in my face.  
"Shut it." She turns, burying her head in my stomach.  
"It's dinner time." I tell her.  
"Not hungry." She mumbles.  
"It's dinner time." I repeat.  
"I said I'm not hungry." She says.  
"Fine," I get up and get her food anyways. "Here," she sighs and open her eyes, sitting up, careful not to wake Hal.  
She eats in silence and when she's about to get up, I take her plate to the kitchen for her.  
"When do you feed her dinner?" Mrs. Everdeen asks.  
"When she's hungry or a few minutes after we eat." Kat says. "But tonight it's going to be when she's hungry." She says. "She needs a bath."  
We all chat for a while. Hallie wakes and Katniss feeds her.

KATNISS'S POV

She really needs a bath. Like, it's disgusting.  
"You know that the two if you were in the newspaper, right?" Cinna asks.  
"What?" I repeat.  
"Yeah, look." He hands me the paper. We're on the home page.  
And the headlines is: THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST ADORABLY IN LOVE COUPLE YOU WILL EVER SEE.  
On September 15th, 2013, a young couple were walking through Central Park when the male (name unknown) started to loudly sing her a song. Not to embarrass her, but because he loves her.  
They had a very young daughter, who looked to be less than a month old.

Peeta was reading it the whole time I was.  
"Well..." He shrugs. I pass the paper back to Cinna.  
"You guys know she laughs, right?" I ask the family.  
"What?" Johanna demands. "No she doesn't. I live with you guys and not once have I heard her laugh."  
"Yes she does," Peeta frowns. I lift my legs up and rest her on my risen knees. She sucks her thumb, but I take her finger from her mouth and bounce her up and down, tickling her as I do so. She let's out a small laugh, and then louder ones, that are squeals of joy. She doesn't do much, but enough to make everyone freak out.  
"Oh my god! I'm missing my grand babies whole life! Both of them!" Mrs. Everdeen looks at Hallie, and then at Chase, and then she starts crying. Like not the cry she normally does which is just a few tears.  
No, she's really crying.  
Then she gets up and walks upstairs.

...9...

KATNISS'S POV

I wake up to Hallie crying late that night. She always sleeps through the night though. I go to check her crib to find it empty. My heart rate accelerates. I shake Peeta roughly.  
"Hmm?" He mumbles.  
"Hal isn't in her crib." I whisper. He sits up.  
"Is that her crying?" He asks.  
"Yes. Peeta, what do I do?" He gets up. We both of in pajama pants. We would never sleep without clothes with Hal in the room. She's literally screaming, terrified. The diaper bag is gone, too. I hurry out of the room. People are starting to wake up and eventually everyone is following Peeta and I downstairs.  
Oh hell no. Uncle Andrew and Aunt Megan are here with Jessica and they're stealing Hallie.  
"What the fuck are you doing?" I hiss.  
"This is not going to be a happy ending." Johanna says.  
"What the hell are you doing? Put her down!"  
And then she throws her down on the floor.  
I don't even know what I do next.

PEETAS POV

Hallie's screams stop and then Katniss is screaming at them, picking Hallie off the floor. She hands her off to Johanna and makes a lunge at them. I grab her arm and all of the guys and I have to restrain her because she's pissed and she's got a lot of adrenaline running through her and if she gets to them, she's going to end up killing them. I keep a strong hand on her arm as I call the police.  
They make a dive for the door, but Johanna throws something and knocks Aunt Megan down and then they trip over her. Then Mom runs over and blocks the door. I get off the phone with the police. Katniss isn't about to run out if energy. Johanna hands Hallie to Mrs. Everdeen, signals for us to release Katnsis, and when she lunges, Johanna trips her and pins her to the floor. Katniss is thrashing around under her and screaming, downing out the sirens. When the front door opens, Johanna clamps her hand over her mouth and silences her.  
"Was it her?" The officer points at Katniss.  
"No. She's her mother. I'm the one that called. That's my wife." I grab Katniss's arm and pull her off the floor. Katniss takes Hallie from Mrs. Everdeen.

...f...

KATNISS'S POV

The next thing I'm aware of, I'm sitting in the waiting room of a hospital. My knee is bouncing from panic and worry. My head is in my hands and I'm crying, but just with tears. Peeta is next to me with his hand slipped under my shirt. Nobody speaks. He rubs my back in gentle patterns. We all just sit. I think we've been here for three hours, I think.  
We haven't said a word to each other, even though all of us are here.  
My thoughts get worse and worse.  
She's so young. So little.  
What if she doesn't wake up?  
What happens if I lose my baby girl.  
"She's going to be fine guys." Johanna finally speaks up. We all knows she convincing herself, too.  
"And what if she's not?" I snap, looking up. "What happens then?"  
"Think positive Katniss." Peeta whispers.  
"It's not that easy." I whisper. I keep having anxiety attacks.  
"I know, but still. Just think positive. And stop blaming yourself." He adds.  
He knows me too well.  
"Just try. Please? For me and for Hal and for the rest of us." He begs. I sigh in reply.

...8...

It's around seven and the sun is up. Mama keeps helping me. She has a notebook and she gave it to me and a pen. I've been scribbling random patterns since five, and Peeta's mother gave him a notebook and a pen and he's been drawing.  
After a while, I start to teach myself to write right handed, and by ten, I can write with both hands. Eventually I get my papers to grade and grade all of them and then go back to writing my signature over and over with both hands. Johanna is watching videos out loud on her phone and a few people are pacing or asleep. Mama and Mrs. Mellark went off to get everyone food.  
After a while I start writing lyrics to randoms songs. Christina Perri, P!nk, Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley, Miley Cyrus. I write seventeen songs that u wrote without telling anyone.  
I keep going with the songs and I end up running our of pages. Peeta rips out half of his notebook and hands it to me. I silently thank him and keep going.  
"Katniss." Peeta nudges me and I look up to see a doctor standing there.  
"Are the parents of Hallie Mellark here?" He asks. Peeta and I stand up, and I'm so panicked that I send the papers Peeta gave me flying all over the floor. I bend down to pick them up and Brandon just shakes his head at me and then does it for me. "She's fine." He says. Everyone let's out loud sighs of relief. "She's got a minor concussion, but since she's so little, it took a long time for her to wake up. She fell back asleep, and you guys can take her home. She's good though. She's probably going to have separation anxiety so make sure she's with one of you at all times. Make sure she takes it easy. And don't panic when she isn't as energetic and noisy." He says.  
"Okay." Peeta speaks for both of us.  
"Okay, and I'm going to give you some medicine for her. Try and give it to her while she's eating." He says. We nod. "I'll just go get her, and then you guys can go. She's probably going to be hungry when she wakes. I'll give you the prescription, too." He walks away. "Now…Expect drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, vomiting, irritability, or drainage, clearl or bloody, from her nose, mouth or ears."  
"See Brainless? Hal's fine." Johanna says.  
"I told you. Think positive," Peeta says with a smile as he tucks a steady strand of hair behind my ear. I smile and bend down to help Brandon collect the papers.  
"What is Bubbly?" He's inspecting one if the songs I wrote.  
"Nothing." I take it from his hand. Peeta comes up behind me and takes it right out of my hand.  
"No!" I stand up and grab his arm. He holds it way up in the air and begins to read it, laughing as I struggle to get it from him. I climb onto his back and grab the paper and stuff it in my bra.  
"I don't know why you think I won't go down there, I've been there tons of times." He reaches up and grabs my arms, flipping me over his head. He restrains me from behind, reaches right into my bra and grabs the paper. I punch the paper and rip it in half.  
"Aww! Katniss!" He whines.  
I grab the two pieces and rip them up into a million pieces.  
"Why can't I read it?" he demands.  
"It's a song, whatever it is." Brandon says. "Let's Google it," He pulls out his phone. "Play the song bubbly.." he tells Siri.  
He frowns. "It's not on here." He frowns. The doctor comes out with Hallie. She's got a big huge red welt on her forehead. She's wrapped in a pink blanket and her head is resting on his shoulder. He hands her to Peeta, and she looks so much more comfortable with him than the doctor. She rests her head on his shoulder and puts her thumb in her mouth.  
"Well…that's it, I guess." He says.  
"What was your name again?" I ask.  
"I'm Dr. Aurelius." He says.  
"Oh, thank you." I say.  
"Don't thank me, I'm just doing what I love." Then he smiles and walks off down the hallway.  
"I know you want her." Peeta says.  
"Yes, but so do you." I say.  
"It's okay." Her hands her to me. When she realizes she with me, she starts crying and trying to get to my boobs. "Let's get out of here." Peeta says. We all rise, Peeta and I pay and then we head out. It's really dark and stormy outside. When we get to the house, Hallie is screaming and it's starting to snow. We hurry inside, I grab her other blanket, cover myself and move her head so she latches on.  
"I'm going to get her medicine," Peeta announces.  
"Okay," I say.  
"I'm going to bed." Johanna announces.  
"Me too." Prim agrees. Everyone goes downstairs, leaving Hallie and I alone. She's eating when I drift off.

…s…

My heartrate accelerates when I feel someone touching my breast. I grab their wrist and I begin to bend it.  
"Relax," Peeta whispers. I open my eyes and see he's just covering me up, because Hallie is done eating and she's asleep on my chest. "I'm just covering you baby, I'm sorry for startling you." He bends down and kisses my lips. "Come on, let's go on up to bed." He takes Hallie off my chest. I rise and drag myself up. He locks the bedroom door and then puts her in the crib.  
We both are out almost immediately.

…s…

I panic when I see Hallie isn't in her crib, but Peeta is next to me. I shake him awake.  
"What?" he mumbles. I spring up, tears colliding down my cheeks. "Kat?" he gets up.  
"She's not in her crib!" I scream at him.  
"Whoa, okay, it's okay, shhh, calm down, Katniss, breathe. We locked the door. Johanna probably just unlocked it and came and took her." He pulls me against his chest. "It's okay, come on, let's go find her, Katniss."

PEETA'S POV

Ever since Hal was thrown to the floor, she's been having anxiety attacks. Really bad ones, and it scares the shit out of me. I lead her downstairs. Johanna does have Hallie.  
"Johanna, you can't do that." I take Hal from her and hand her to Katniss. Katniss runs off upstairs with her.  
I'm sorry, I'm skipping through break. I'm out of ideas for this story…  
….z….  
KATNISS'S POV

"I can't possibly go into work." I shake my head. Peeta sighs and runs his fingers roughly through his curls. We are going to see that house this weekend, that one he described, the one in Vermont. We're not moving until we finish working on the restaurant and that is going to take a long time, probably six months or so.  
"Your really…" he sighs. "You're going to have to take her into work with you from now on. I'm going to be way too busy to watch her myself."  
"Fine, I love you, bye.  
"I love you too."

….s…..

"Ms. Everdeen, your acting weird today. You normally let Hallie sleep in her stroller. What's up? You won't put her down." Olive notices.  
"Wel…can I tell you guys a secret?" I ask.  
Everyone looks up and they all look excited. This is forth period. Hallie is asleep with her head on my shoulder. "Okay…so when I was in Kentcky over break…just keep in mind that my aunt, uncle and cousin didn't come to my wedding and they only show up for Christmas. Anyways, we had gotten into a fight because their kid got pregnant. She's fifteen and she looked at the text and passed out. Then her parents blamed Johanna, Annie and I when she woke up and started crying. They said that they didn't come to my wedding because I'm an a-hole and I haven't seen them since. This was on Christmas day. They showed up at my parents house and they…tried to kidnap Hallie. I woke up when I heard her screaming and woke Peeta and everyone followed us downstairs. I told them to put her down and well…they did this…" I hand Hallie off to Olive because she's nearest me, and then I grab a marker from my desk and throw it on the floor. It lands at my feet.  
"Oh my god!" Olive exclaims.  
"I know," I put the marker back and take back my daughter. "She passed out and…I kind of don't know what happened after that. I was so angry though, that Peeta said every single one of the guys in my family, and there's a whole lot of them, had to hold me back."  
"What happened to her?" Pricilla demands.  
""She got knocked unconscious and she was out for a while. She got a concussion, but she's okay. She just gets scared when she's alone, and I don't like her out of my sight, so I just keep her with me." I admit.  
"I can't even imagine." Olive shakes her head and finches.  
"Did you cry?" Pricilla asks. "I'd be sobbing nonstop for a week." I laugh.  
"Yes. I cried when we were in the waiting room and I had a panic attack that night when she wasn't in her crib when I woke up. It was because Johanna snuck into my room and stole her. I was actually hysterical when that happened. But after that I didn't." I admit.  
"I honestly think you're the most awesome teacher in the world." Jared says, putting his feet on his desk.  
"How old is she? Is Hallie?" Olive asks.  
"Three months and an day." I say. "Now finish your tests before we talk away the period."  
"I'm okay with that." Jared says.  
'Are you okay with an F?" I ask.  
"No…" he says.  
"Then finish your test." I smile and go back to my seat.  
I occasionally look up from Hay Day, my game, to check on the kids.  
The fifth time I look up, I see Tori on her phone.  
Oh hell no. That's one thing I don't do. I get being on your phone at school, but not during tests. I loudly clear my throat and every head snaps in my direction. Her eyes flood with panic. I wave her over to me. She sighs and gets up and walks over to me. "Whatcha doing there?" I nod at her phone.  
"Uh...um..." She shows me the screen, which has an equation calculator on it. She knows I'm going to do it, so she just does it for me and tosses her test in the trash.  
"You can come back and get this at the end of the day. I think you and I need to have a little talk." I say.  
"If I miss the bus, I can't get home." She says.  
"Do you trust me?" I ask, forcing myself to put Hallie in her stroller because my arm is dead. She bites her lip and then sighs.  
"Yes. I think we all trust you with your lives." She looks over her shoulder at everyone and they all nod.  
"Good. If you miss the bus, I'll drive you home, okay?" I ask.  
"Okay..." She says. "Can I text my Aunt and tell her I'm going to be late home?" She asks.  
"Go ahead."  
"Ms. Everdeen, I thought you said that Hallie screams when you put her down?" Olive asks.  
"She does. I give her five minutes maximum before I have to pick her up again." I reply. Tori finishes the text to her mother and hands me her phone. I put it in the drawer of my desk with my phone and lock the drawer. She goes back to her seat, and eventually, everyone finishes their tests and we still have a strong ten minutes left. I hear a baby noise next to me, and then Hallie's screaming, terrified. I turn the stroller so she's facing me and lift her up. Once she realizes it's my arms that she is in, she silences.

"So what are we going to do for ten minutes?" Parker asks.

"Um…" I sigh. "I don't know…talk?" everyone starts to talk at once.

…..s…..

Five minutes after the last bell rings, Tori walks into my classroom, and I'm on the phone with Peeta. "I have to go." I say quickly.

"O-kay…I love you." he says.

"I love you too." I hang up. I get up. "Tori…you know your failing this class, right? And you just killed your grade because of that test, right?" I ask. She looks down.

"I know Ms. Everdeen, and I'm sorry. I just don't understand."

"What don't you understand?" I ask.

"Equations and slope." She admits.

"Yes." She whispers.

"Do you want me to tutor you?" I ask. She sighs.

"I don't know if that will work. I can't miss the bus all the time. I won't have a way home."

"How about…and I know this may sound weird and we can talk this over with your parents, but how about after school on Monday's, I take you my house for an hour, and then take you home?" I ask.

"Okay…maybe we can today…I'll call my Aunt and ask her." She says.

"Okay," I get her phone from the drawer and hand it to her. She starts to walk around the room, talking with her Aunt as I get Hallie bundled up in warmer clothes because it's snowing outside.

"Ms. Everdeen?" Tori asks.

"Yes?" I look up at her as I button up Hallie's onesie.

"My Aunt Amy wants to talk with you, is that okay?" she asks.

"Sure," I smile. She hands me her phone. "Hello?" I ask, balancing the phone with my head and shoulder as I pull some pants on Hal.

"This is Ms. Everdeen? Your my nieces math teacher?" she asks.

"Yes," I smile.

"So you want to take her to help her study? What are her grades like? Why does she need to study?"

"Well…she's failing this class, and she's going to have to take it next year if she doesn't pass the exam, and she said she doesn't know how to do it, so she can't pass the exam. It's either she gets some help or she doesn't pass."

"Okay…how will she get home?"

"I'll be driving her." I say.

"Okay, can you put her back on the phone, please?"

"Sure," I hand the phone to Tori as I pull a coat on Hal.

"Okay, I love you too, bye." She hangs up.

"She said yes and she's forcing me to tell you that if you do anything to me, your ass is hers." Tori says.

I laugh and reply, "I'm not going to do a thing to you." I laugh. 'Just warning you, my house is crazy. Your more than likely going to meet Ms. Cresta's boyfriend, me and Peeta's best friend. You'll see my sister Prim, my nephew, Chase, Peeta, Prim's boyfriend, oh, and Johanna."

"Awesome." She grins.

"So…are you ready to go?" I ask.

"Yes," she says. I carry Hallie, deciding to just leave the stroller here.

"Ann, are you coming over or are you getting a taxi or am I dropping you off?" I ask, sticking my head in her classroom.

"I'll come over. Is Peeta busy, because Finnick is whining about how he isn't there and he wants to watch football."

"I'll call him when we get home. I'm taking Tori Cyprus over because I'm going to tutor her." I say.

"Okay," she grabs all her stuff and follows Tori and I. I get in my car, which is a turquoise Jeep Wrangler. Peeta has my truck now, because I got tired of it. Tori gets in the backseat and I put Hallie in her car seat. Annie gets in the passenger and I get in the front.

"I love this car. I've always wanted a Jeep Wrangler." Tori says. I smile as I start it and turn on the heat.

"I used to have a truck, but I gave it to Peeta because I hated it." I admit.

"Can you call him now? Finnick is irritating me." Annie says. I pick my phone and dial Peeta.

"Hey," he says.

'Hey, where are you?" I ask.

"I am at the store grocery shopping. Why?" he asks.

"Because Finnick is at the house and he wants to watch football with you." I say.

"Oh…um…tell him I'll be home in like…" he sighs. "In like an hour. I literally just got here." He says.

"Okay, we need diapers." I say.

"Okay, is that all?" he asks.

"Um…" I frown. "I think that's all…uh." I sigh. "I'll call you back when I get home." I say.

"Okay, love you."

"Love you too." I hang up. "He'll be home in an hour." I say.

"Which means he's going to bother us." she grumbles.

"No, he'll bother Hallie. Espically when I say she needs a bath."

"Good point." She grins as we pull into the restaurant parking lot. Annie is holding Hallie as we walk inside. I hear Prim shouting and barreling down the stairs and then I see Chase crawl, butt naked, out the front door. I turn around and grab him.

"Hi Auntie!" he puts his hands on my cheeks.

"Chase," I laugh and pass him to Prim. I take Hallie from Ann and head upstairs.

"Kitty! Where's Peeta? The game starts in an hour!" Finnick shouts at me.

"He said he's going to be here in an hour, calm down." I say.

"Who are you?" Finnick demands.

"I'm Tori," she shakes his outstretched hand.

"Hey Tori, what the fuck are you doing here?" Johanna asks. It's not a rude question; it's just like asking "What are you doing here?"

"I'm tutoring her. And stop talking like that." I say.

"Oh." Jo says.

"Gimme!" Finnick holds out his hands for Hallie.

"She needs a bath." I say. His eyes light up.

"Okay," he walks off.

"Just make yourself comfortable, I'll be right back." I say. Tori nods and sits down on the couch. I head off to the kkitchen and dial Peeta.

"You better write this down, I'm not saying it twice." I say. I list out everything.

"Kitty, where's the baby soap?" Finn shouts.

I walk to the bathroom where Hallie is in the baby tub and dig through the cabinet.

"Peeta, we need more soap for Hal." I announce.

"Okay," he says. "Is that all?" he asks.

'Yes," I say.

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you too." I hang up.

"I'll just use this." Finn picks up the normal soap.

"No!" I rip it out of his hand. "You can't use this! She allergic to every other soap but her normal one!"

"Oh…" he says. "So what do I do? Let her play till he gets home?" he asks. I grab a towel and pick her up, wrapping her up.

"No, you give her a bath later." I carry her off to the living room.

"Wait Kitty! Gimme my goddaughter!" he chases after me.

"Finnick, you're really driving me crazy." I hand Hallie to him. "I can't wait till Peeta gets home."

"You're not mean to me." he stomps down the hall. I begin to tutor Tori with the help of Prim, Jo and Annie.

The linear equation is y=9x-11

"Graph it." I tell her. She puts the nine on the x intercept and the -11 on the y. I sigh. "Okay, look. This negative 11 is the y intercept, so leave the one there. But the nine is the slope. So you go up nine and over one, do you understand.

"Yes," she says.

"Okay, so do it." I say. She does as I say. "Good, good, that's right. Let's try another one, but your going to do this on your own." I write out y=-11x+4

She puts the four on the y intercept and then goes down eleven and over one.

"Good, that's right!" I exclaim.

"Finnick, come and help with the groceries!" Peeta calls.

"Peet! Finally!" Finn calls from Hallie's room. He rushes in here with her, lays her blanket on the floor next to me, puts her toys down and lays her down on her belly. She resumes hey playing with one hand as her other tiny hand wraps around my index finger. Good thing I can write with both hands. Peeta and Finnick put the groceries away and then they disappear to me and Peeta's room.

"Katniss, Christina Perri is singing the national anthem!" Peeta calls. I bite my lip and fight th urge to run into the bedroom.

"I love Christina Perri." Tori admits.

'Wanna watch it?" I ask. She nods. I pick up Hallie and we all go into the bedroom. The Ravens are playing against the Colts. I want to watch now, because this is an interesting game. And I really want to be with Peeta. I could lay down between his legs and rest back against his chest.

"My Aunt is going to be getting worried soon…" Tori says.

"Alright, I'll take you home." I hand Hallie to Peeta and head out.

…s…

"What'd I miss?" I demand. Everyone has squeezed onto Peeta and I's bed. I put Hallie in her crib and go back to the bedroom.

"Ravens are winning." Peeta says. I sit down between his legs and lean against his chest. He wraps his arms around me. "Look at me." he whispers. I look behind me and he kisses me heavily. Nobody tells us to stop because they honestly don't care. When he pulls away, he kisses my forehead, and my cheeks and the tip of my nose. "I love you," he whispers.

"I love you too." I whisper.


	19. Chapter 19

Johanna went to bed at nine and everyone left at eight. Hallie is out for the night, and it just leaves me and Peeta. It's midnight now, though, and I can't sleep.

Teaching is getting really hard. I'm starting to just want to talk to the kids instead of teach them. I haven't graded papers in over a week, it's hard with Hallie because I can't nurse her and she only allows the bottle once in a blue moon. She cries a lot at work when I put her down, which disrupts the class. And I'd much rather nurse her then bottle feed her.

And honestly, I miss Peeta like crazy. I miss waking up with him in the morning and not having to worry about being late to work because I don't have to go. The restaurant is such a success that Peeta and I don't even have to work down there anymore. I miss having sex with him and being able to wake up in his arms and only have to get up to get our daughter. We shared a bed before I started working. I miss that too, waking up with Peeta and then playing with Hallie in the morning.

I miss him, and I hate going to work now. I want to quit my job. I sigh and take another sip of my water. Then I stare out the window.

I feel entitled to stay though…

"Babe? Honey, what's wrong?" Peeta whispers. I look away from the window and look at him. The window seat is in the dining room.

"I miss you. I miss waking up with you and begin able to stay in your arms all day. I miss us playing with Hallie in our bed in the morning. I miss Johanna joining us playing with her. I miss us being with Hallie together all day. I hate teaching. I hate that I can't nurse her. She doesn't let me put her down and she cries when I do, which doesn't bug me, but it disrupts the class. I end up talking away the period instead of teaching. I hate my job Peeta. I miss you."

"I miss you too. I miss you a lot Katniss, I've been missing you since the day you started." He whispers. "We never have time anymore." He sits down across from me.

"I feel like a terrible best friend to my friends, I feel like a terrible mother to my daughter and I feel like a terrible wife to my husband. Peeta, I need help. What do I do?"

"You quit. Katniss, we don't even need the money." He pulls me into his lap. "Quit your job." He whispers.

"Then I feel like a terrible teacher. You know what someone told me today? That they all look forward to their class with me. That I'm the best teacher in the world. I just feel terrible." Tears start sliding down my cheeks. He wipes them.

"You're stressed again, aren't you?' he whispers. I bury my head in his shoulder.

"Yes." I whisper.

"Quit. Katniss, when we move, we're going to find you a hobby. Something that amuses you, something you can do at home." He whispers. "Katniss, tomorrow, I want you to quit your job. I'll call Finnick right now and tell him to tell Annie. I know he's still awake." He says. He goes to push me off his lap, but I tighten my arms around his neck. He moves my legs so they're locked around his waist, and then he stands up and carries me off to our bedroom.

"Brainless?" Jo asks. Peeta sets me down. "Hal's hungry. I heard her crying and went in there, and she's hungry." She say.

"Kay, thanks Jo." I walk into Hal's room as Peeta goes off to call Finn. She follows me. She doesn't care if I walk around naked, so I just pull off my shirt and pick up Hallie and expose myself. I move her so she can latch on, and her cries fall silent. "I'm quitting my job," I tell Jo.

She rises her eyebrows. "Why?"

"I miss you guys. I miss being able to nurse when I have to, and to wake up when I want, and for me, you and Peeta to play with Hallie. I miss hanging out with you guys. I miss it. I hate teaching."

"When are you quitting?" she asks.

"In the morning." I reply. Peeta walks into the bedroom.

"Annie wants to talk to you." he hands me his phone.

"Hello?" I ask.

"I'm quitting too. I didn't want to tell you…but I'm quitting. In the morning." She says.

"Me too." I reply.

…s…

I wake up, naked. Underneath me, Peeta is also naked. I feel a pang in my chest when I remember I have to get up. His warm skin feels like fire beneath mine, and I practically force myself to get off him and get in the shower. I double and triple check my mind to make sure that this is definitely what I want, and I know it is.

When I get back in the room, Peeta has on sweatpants, Hallie is asleep on his bare chest and he's asleep, too. I smile and take a picture of them and set it at my background. Hallie is loosely holding onto his index finger and his other hand is on her back. She's only in a diaper, and it's clean. I get dressed in white skinny jeans, my leather boots, a black bra and a turquoise long sleeve button up shirt, which I tuck into my jeans. Annie walks into my bedroom.

"That is adorable." She whispers, looking at Hal and Peeta. She takes a picture of it. I smile and kiss Hallie's head goodbye, and kiss Peeta's forehead.

"Baby," I run my fingers through his hair.

"Hmm?" he mumbles, starting to rub Hallie's back as he opens his eyes.

"Can you move towards the middle? I'm scared she's going to roll to the floor." I whisper. He scoots to the middle of the bed, grabbing my pillows and using them, instead of his own.

"Kay," he mumbles.

"I'll see you when I get back, I promise." I kiss him, his lips this time, and then kiss Hal's head again.

"Love you," he mumbles.

"I love you too." I whisper back. I grab my phone and put it in my back pocket.

"Baby?" he stops me in the doorway to the bedroom.

"Yes?" I ask.

"Don't forget your coat." He whispers. I know he won't let me leave till I've got it on, so I just pull on my jean jacket and leave. Annie and I are already late, so if we were to go to first period, the class has already started.

We walk into the office and go down to Boggs office. Annie knocks. "Come in," he says. We walk into the room. "Ah, you two know your late, right?" he asks.

"Yes, and we're sorry." I sit down, and so does Annie. He knows thisb is serious. "We're moving…to Vermont…and we can't work here because we have stuff to do at home and I have a daughter to raise and a husband to keep a relationship with." I say.

"And I'm in a relationship and we're not going to get anywhere in life if we don't get to be around one another." Annie says. He sighs and clicks his pen on his desk.

"I presume you can't work today then?" he asks.

"Correct." I reply. He sighs.

"Alright…just go upstairs and get your belongings. Say goodbye to the kids, too. We don't have anyone covering the classes just yet, so I'll have to do it myself. Just come down when you're done." We both nod and head upstairs.

"Ms. Everdeen! There you are!" Harson exclaims. I just nod and move towards the desk. "What are we doing today?"

"I don't know, to be honest. I guess just talk." I say.

"the whole class?" Brady asks.

"Yes," I reply. They all continue to chat as I start to gather my things. I'm so glad I left the stroller.

"What are you doing? Why are you clearing off your desk?" Megan demands.

"Because I've quit my job." I say. Silence. I don't look up, I just stay silent. I don't want them to get pissed, but I can't keep doing this.

"Why?" Hallie whispers. I shut the drawer I've just emptied with my knee.

"Because…it's too much. I never get to see Peeta anymore, I'm drifting apart from my family, and I can't raidse Hallie without Peeta, which is exactly what's happening because he's got things to do too, and he can't come in as much as he wants to."

"Your only here until one! Hang out with everyone when you get home!" Megan exclaims.

"I have papers to grade when I get home." I reply.

Nobody speaks. I take down the posters and start to put things in the stroller. Annie sticks her head in my room and raises her eyebrows at me. I get the little bit of stuff I have in the office and put it in the stroller. "Well…bye." I wave at them, and a few of them get up and hug me.


	20. Chapter 20

My eyes well with tears at the realization of what just happened. He looks shocked. I look down at my stinging hand, and up at my handprint on his cheek.

I'm abusive. I just hit Peeta. I start to back up, shaking my head. "I'm so sorry," I whisper.

"Katniss-"

"Peeta, I-I can't. I'm sorry!" I turn around and run.

JOHANNA'S POV

"This shit is so fucking foreseeable." I grumble, stuffing more popcorn in my mouth as I flip through the channels. My phone's ringtone blares. "Who the hell could possibly be calling me in the middle of the day!" I ask myself, picking up my shitty phone and pressing answer. "What?" I snap.

"Johanna, I need your help." Peeta says.

"What loverboy?" I demand.

"It's Katniss. We got into a really bad fight and she ran off and I've been looking for her for an hour and I can't find her anywhere."

"Brainless ran away?" I ask, concerned as I set my popcorn down and stand up.

"Yes, I called everyone already and we're all out looking for her-" my front door opens and slams shut again, and Brainless walks in.

I could completely spoil her cover, but I won't. I'm going to be one her side either way.

"I'll go look for her." I hang up on him. "What happened?" I ask.

She drops to her knees and just sobs into her hands. I can't do much, but I just help her off the floor and lead her to the spare room. I help her into the covers and go and get her comfort food from the store. I get her all kinds of stuff and then go home. I make her hot chocolate and mac and cheese and grilled cheese and a ton of other stuff, and then I take it to the bedroom and give it to her.

"I smacked him. We got into a really bad fight and I smacked him and _he_ tried to comfort _me_." she chokes out. "I'm a terrible person."

"No you're not Katniss." I whisper.

"Yes I am. I am." She whispers.

KATNISS'S POV

I don't go home at all that day, or the next, or the next. When Peeta shows up at Johanna's, I hide. I told her the secret I've been hiding and she swore not to tell.

He sounds frantic and worried.

But then I hear Hallie crying. I feel tears well in my eyes. I miss my baby. I miss my _babies_

I miss Peeta and his touch, and I absolutely hate myself for hurting him.

And my poor baby girl. I open the bathroom door out and peek into the living room. She's sitting on the floor, screaming. Peeta picks her up, and he's so worried it breaks my heart.

I've hurt him more by leave than I did when I hit him. I walk out of the bathroom and sneak up behind him and take Hallie from his arms. He turns around, and just stares at me.

I set her down, and she clings to me, crying. "I'll be…in the….I'm going to take a shower." Johanna walks away.

"Peeta, I know you hate me, but I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hit you and I was so scared that I didn't know what to do. I ran away and hid like a child. I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry."

"She's needed you." he says curtly. "You know I was going to call the police? You know that Finnick had to talk me out of it? You know that Annie had to watch her because I couldn't do it? You know she refused to eat? You know she still hasn't eaten? Or slept? You know that Finnick and Annie have been staying with me? You know they're so pissed at you. Matter of fact, everyone is pissed at you. You know I'm pissed at you? You know I love you so much that I hate you for leaving but never want you out of my sight again?" and then he hugs me. "You know I'm gonna take you home and fuck you so hard that you can't move for a day?" he whispers.

…s…

Peeta always keeps his promises.

After I fed Hallie so she was completely full and got her to sleep, I put her in the crib and was practically dragged to the bedroom.

I mean…I can still move, but it hurts. It's morning. We didn't wake up till twelve, and it was because Hallie started crying. "Katniss?" he wraps his arms around me from behind. I'm out on the deck, which is almost three stories in the air and is held up by stakes. It's glass doors in our bedroom that lead out to the deck and overlook the backyard, which is 11 acres. The half-acre is in our front yard. "I'm sorry." He whispers. I lean back against him.

"For what?" I whisper. He nuzzles into my neck, making she shiver.

"For hurting you." he whispers. He means from the sex.

"I deserve it. Besides, it's a good hurt." I turn in his arms so I'm facing him.

"No you don't, Katniss." He puts his hands on my ass, which is covered by noting but my panties. I'm only in a black bra with a plaid button down shirt that's left open and white underwear. He's just in sweatpants.

"Yes I do. I hurt you, Peeta." I run my fingers through his hair.

"Well I hurt you, so we're even." He says.

"Fine," I whisper.

It's snowing out here, so he pulls me inside. We head downstairs, where Hallie is watching Rugrats. My phone starts blaring upstairs, I have one foot on the stairs before Peeta races past me.

I don't deserve him.

He comes back with my phone and hands it to me, lifting up Hallie and throwing her into the air and catching her again. Her screaming laughter fills the house, so I go down to the basement, that Peeta has turned into his place with the guys to watch the games and stuff.

"Hello?" I ask.

"You have a lot of fucking nerve!" Haymitch shouts at me.

"I can't believe she answered the phone for you!" My mother screams. I can hear them screaming.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Haymitch shouts. "Why the hell did you _hit_ him? You know that your DAUGHTER won't eat because she needs YOU and you left her? You left him! What the fuck is wrong with you? You hit him! You hurt him! You ran off like a fucking baby!"

He keeps shouting everything I already know, and because of what's going on inside me, I start crying. Peeta comes downstairs.

"Kat?" he asks. I shake my head, telling him to go. He completely ignores me and takes the phone from my hand. "Stop it. She came home, she said she was sorry. Back the fuck off. This is between Katniss and I and the only reason I told _anybody_ was because I wanted to see if she was with you. Leave her alone and don't talk to her until you apologize." Then he hangs up. "Don't cry. Stop crying. Stop it." He wraps me up in his arms and kisses my face all over, my neck, my whole body.

"Don't cry. Please, please don't cry."

…..k…..

Valentine's day. My heart is beating very fast and out of rythm.

"Open this." I drop the box in his hands. Jo, Ann, Finn, Prim, Alex and Chase are here, too.

"What? No way Katniss. I'm not opening this." He refuses.

"Please?" I beg.

"No. I didn't get you anything. I'm not opening it."

PEETA'S POV

She refuses to let me get her anything and then gets me something anyways.

Sometimes, I don't understand her. "I refuse." I shake my head.

"Fine." She slides the rings off her finger and holds them out to me. She's so stubborn.

"Fine, you're so stubborn!" I rip the wrapping off the box. Everyone watches. She bites her lip and watches me. It's just a cardboard box. I open it up and just see an envelope. I look up at her and she makes a waving motion with her hand. I sigh and pick up the notebook and open up the envelope. She starts biting her nails, a sure sign that she's extremely nervous.

"Read it out loud." She says.

I sigh.

_Hey Peeta…do you remember that time you told me we should get rid of some of Hal's old clothes and toys because she doesn't fit them anymore?_

_When was that, like two weeks ago? Well…you really shouldn't do that._

_We kind of need them._

_Again._

Because_ I've five and half months pregnant with twins. One boy and one girl._

_Love you!_

We're all silent for a long time. I stare at the paper, and then up at Katniss, really confused.

"Wait…" Prim begins. "Now I have two nieces and a nephew?"

"Well I already knew." Johanna props her feet up on the coffee table.

"You're pregnant?" I ask. She smiles.

"Yes. You guys didn't notice my clothes have been extremely baggy? Why I haven't let you have a shower with me? Why I didn't let you look down when we were having sex? Why I've been crying? Eating weird? Getting pissed?"

"Twins though? You're not even showing."

I turn sideways and lift my shirt up and just pull it off.

I am showing.

I'm showing so much that I'm surprised they didn't notice. I'm showing so much.

"Shit!" Peeta drops his glass of water. "I can't believe I didn't notice!"

…s…

**This is gonna be fast**

Three months pass, I'm a dinosaur, I'm eight months, and we haven't told a soul in the family. We haven't called them.

Peeta refuses to let me call them. My doctor says it's normal and healthy to be premature and that she has never delivered anyone having twins that come at nine months.

I'm due on May 23rd, and it's the fifteenth and I'm on bed rest. Johanna and I are 25. The family called her to wish her a happy birthday and when she asked them 'What about Katniss' they said 'Who's Katniss'.

I cried for four hours after that, and I refused to let anyone into my bedroom.

They say their identical, too. Hallie can speak mini sentences, and she's starting to crawl a tiny bit, but that's it. Jo, Ann, Finn, Prim, Alex and Chase won't leave. "I'm not getting off this couch until your standing in a puddle of fucking water, Brainless." She stuffs her mouth with popcorn. I sit down on the couch.

"I'm such a fucking fat ass dinosaur hippo thing." I grumble. Peeta just sits down and massages my swollen ankles.

"Don't talk about yourself like that." He says.

I've successfully weaned Hallie off of my tits and onto the bottle.

"Me have baba?" she asks.

"I'll do it." I say.

"No you won't." Peeta says. I stand up anyways. Pain explodes through my stomach and it hurts worse than it did with Hal.

"Mama pee!" Hallie giggles, pointing at me.

"You just pissed yourself Brainless?" Johanna asks.

"No! This is not piss, this is water!" I shout at her.

"Pregnancy water?" She demands.

"What other water!" Finn shouts at her.

Things get chaotic. Prim starts Chase and Hallie and Alex gets the bags and Johanna and Annie get the last minute stuff and Finn runs for the car and Peeta lifts me up and chases after him.

PEETA'S POV

"Mama! Please call my Mama! Please Peeta!" Katniss begs.

"Katniss, they don't-" she grabs my hand with such a painful grip.

"Please!" she begs. "I won't push until my Mama is in the fucking room!" She screams at me.

I dial her mother immediately. "Hello?" her voice is bitter.

"Uh…um…Katniss is in labor…" I admit, knowing I'm on speaker phone. I can hear a ton of the girls burst into tears.

"We're on the way." She hangs up on me.

KATNISS'S POV

"Your nine centimeters dilated," My doctor announces. I clutch Peeta's hand because it hurts much worse than it should.

"I'm not pushing till my mom is here." I say. "I don't give a fuck if I'm twenty centimeters dilated I'M NOT PUSHING!" I scream.

"Peeta, call her mother." My doctor days. I dial Mrs. Everdeen.

"Please tell me you guys are coming! She's nine centimeters and refuses to push without you! She's having twins!" I say frantically.

"We're in the lobby but the bitch won't let me up!" she sounds angry and frustrated. I repeat what she just said to the doctor.

"What's her name?" he demands.

"Lillian Everdeen!" Katniss chokes out as she reaches for my hand again. "Peeta tell her to hurry the fuck up!" she crying now. Her other doctor pages the lobby.

"I need Lillian Everdeen up here NOW!" he shouts into the phone.

Two minutes later, Katniss's mother rushes into the room. Katniss starts apologizing a million miles a minute as Mrs. Everdeen introduces herself to the doctor who says that she can work with him and then checks how dilated Katniss is.

"Start pushing," Mrs. Everdeen says. She's still apologizing, screaming this time. We don't even have names picked out. The boy comes out first, and the other doctor washes his off as Katniss pushes out the girl, screaming how sorry she is. She silences though, when two baby's cries have filled the room. One baby, the boy, is placed in my arms, and the other baby, the girl, is placed in Katniss's arms. Mrs. Everdeen is silent as she stitches her up.

KATNISS'S POV

The actual doctor leaves. I stare at my baby girl. Mama changes the sheets, and kneels down next to me.

"Mama, I'm so sorry. Please don't hate me." I whisper.

"I can't hate you. I love you too much." She kisses my forehead. Peeta and I switch off. I hug her with one arm.

"Brennan," Peeta says randomly. Mama and I look up at him.

"What?" I ask.

"Brennan and Bailee." He says. "Brennan," he nods at the baby boy in my arms. "And Bailee. Spelt B-A-I-L-E-E." he announces "Brennan Ethan." He says. "And Bailee Lillian." He says. I smile.

"I love it." I grin. I scoot over and he sits down with me.

"Want me to go get someone?" Mama whispers.

"Everyone," Peeta says. Mama put on the underwear with the dino pad on me, kisses my head and then walks off.

Prim gets in first, and sets Hallie on my bed.

"Mama!" she screams.

"Shhh baby, you have to be quiet." I whisper. She crawls closer to me and Peeta and leans really close to Bailee.

"Hi." She whispers. I'm not going to speak to them until they speak to me.

"Hi." I whisper back.

I find that when your quite, she's quiet.

"What are their names?" Mrs. Mellark asks.

"Bailee and Brennan." I say curtly.

"So are you going to apologize?" Haymitch asks.

"Don't start this here." Peeta warns.


	21. Chapter 21

My eyes well with tears at the realization of what just happened. He looks shocked. I look down at my stinging hand, and up at my handprint on his cheek.

I'm abusive. I just hit Peeta. I start to back up, shaking my head. "I'm so sorry," I whisper.

"Katniss-"

"Peeta, I-I can't. I'm sorry!" I turn around and run.

JOHANNA'S POV

"This shit is so fucking foreseeable." I grumble, stuffing more popcorn in my mouth as I flip through the channels. My phone's ringtone blares. "Who the hell could possibly be calling me in the middle of the day!" I ask myself, picking up my shitty phone and pressing answer. "What?" I snap.

"Johanna, I need your help." Peeta says.

"What loverboy?" I demand.

"It's Katniss. We got into a really bad fight and she ran off and I've been looking for her for an hour and I can't find her anywhere."

"Brainless ran away?" I ask, concerned as I set my popcorn down and stand up.

"Yes, I called everyone already and we're all out looking for her-" my front door opens and slams shut again, and Brainless walks in.

I could completely spoil her cover, but I won't. I'm going to be one her side either way.

"I'll go look for her." I hang up on him. "What happened?" I ask.

She drops to her knees and just sobs into her hands. I can't do much, but I just help her off the floor and lead her to the spare room. I help her into the covers and go and get her comfort food from the store. I get her all kinds of stuff and then go home. I make her hot chocolate and mac and cheese and grilled cheese and a ton of other stuff, and then I take it to the bedroom and give it to her.

"I smacked him. We got into a really bad fight and I smacked him and _he_ tried to comfort _me_." she chokes out. "I'm a terrible person."

"No you're not Katniss." I whisper.

"Yes I am. I am." She whispers.

KATNISS'S POV

I don't go home at all that day, or the next, or the next. When Peeta shows up at Johanna's, I hide. I told her the secret I've been hiding and she swore not to tell.

He sounds frantic and worried.

But then I hear Hallie crying. I feel tears well in my eyes. I miss my baby. I miss my _babies_

I miss Peeta and his touch, and I absolutely hate myself for hurting him.

And my poor baby girl. I open the bathroom door out and peek into the living room. She's sitting on the floor, screaming. Peeta picks her up, and he's so worried it breaks my heart.

I've hurt him more by leave than I did when I hit him. I walk out of the bathroom and sneak up behind him and take Hallie from his arms. He turns around, and just stares at me.

I set her down, and she clings to me, crying. "I'll be…in the….I'm going to take a shower." Johanna walks away.

"Peeta, I know you hate me, but I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hit you and I was so scared that I didn't know what to do. I ran away and hid like a child. I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry."

"She's needed you." he says curtly. "You know I was going to call the police? You know that Finnick had to talk me out of it? You know that Annie had to watch her because I couldn't do it? You know she refused to eat? You know she still hasn't eaten? Or slept? You know that Finnick and Annie have been staying with me? You know they're so pissed at you. Matter of fact, everyone is pissed at you. You know I'm pissed at you? You know I love you so much that I hate you for leaving but never want you out of my sight again?" and then he hugs me. "You know I'm gonna take you home and fuck you so hard that you can't move for a day?" he whispers.

…s…

Peeta always keeps his promises.

After I fed Hallie so she was completely full and got her to sleep, I put her in the crib and was practically dragged to the bedroom.

I mean…I can still move, but it hurts. It's morning. We didn't wake up till twelve, and it was because Hallie started crying. "Katniss?" he wraps his arms around me from behind. I'm out on the deck, which is almost three stories in the air and is held up by stakes. It's glass doors in our bedroom that lead out to the deck and overlook the backyard, which is 11 acres. The half-acre is in our front yard. "I'm sorry." He whispers. I lean back against him.

"For what?" I whisper. He nuzzles into my neck, making she shiver.

"For hurting you." he whispers. He means from the sex.

"I deserve it. Besides, it's a good hurt." I turn in his arms so I'm facing him.

"No you don't, Katniss." He puts his hands on my ass, which is covered by noting but my panties. I'm only in a black bra with a plaid button down shirt that's left open and white underwear. He's just in sweatpants.

"Yes I do. I hurt you, Peeta." I run my fingers through his hair.

"Well I hurt you, so we're even." He says.

"Fine," I whisper.

It's snowing out here, so he pulls me inside. We head downstairs, where Hallie is watching Rugrats. My phone starts blaring upstairs, I have one foot on the stairs before Peeta races past me.

I don't deserve him.

He comes back with my phone and hands it to me, lifting up Hallie and throwing her into the air and catching her again. Her screaming laughter fills the house, so I go down to the basement, that Peeta has turned into his place with the guys to watch the games and stuff.

"Hello?" I ask.

"You have a lot of fucking nerve!" Haymitch shouts at me.

"I can't believe she answered the phone for you!" My mother screams. I can hear them screaming.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Haymitch shouts. "Why the hell did you _hit_ him? You know that your DAUGHTER won't eat because she needs YOU and you left her? You left him! What the fuck is wrong with you? You hit him! You hurt him! You ran off like a fucking baby!"

He keeps shouting everything I already know, and because of what's going on inside me, I start crying. Peeta comes downstairs.

"Kat?" he asks. I shake my head, telling him to go. He completely ignores me and takes the phone from my hand. "Stop it. She came home, she said she was sorry. Back the fuck off. This is between Katniss and I and the only reason I told _anybody_ was because I wanted to see if she was with you. Leave her alone and don't talk to her until you apologize." Then he hangs up. "Don't cry. Stop crying. Stop it." He wraps me up in his arms and kisses my face all over, my neck, my whole body.

"Don't cry. Please, please don't cry."

…..k…..

Valentine's day. My heart is beating very fast and out of rythm.

"Open this." I drop the box in his hands. Jo, Ann, Finn, Prim, Alex and Chase are here, too.

"What? No way Katniss. I'm not opening this." He refuses.

"Please?" I beg.

"No. I didn't get you anything. I'm not opening it."

PEETA'S POV

She refuses to let me get her anything and then gets me something anyways.

Sometimes, I don't understand her. "I refuse." I shake my head.

"Fine." She slides the rings off her finger and holds them out to me. She's so stubborn.

"Fine, you're so stubborn!" I rip the wrapping off the box. Everyone watches. She bites her lip and watches me. It's just a cardboard box. I open it up and just see an envelope. I look up at her and she makes a waving motion with her hand. I sigh and pick up the notebook and open up the envelope. She starts biting her nails, a sure sign that she's extremely nervous.

"Read it out loud." She says.

I sigh.

_Hey Peeta…do you remember that time you told me we should get rid of some of Hal's old clothes and toys because she doesn't fit them anymore?_

_When was that, like two weeks ago? Well…you really shouldn't do that._

_We kind of need them._

_Again._

Because_ I've five and half months pregnant with twins. One boy and one girl._

_Love you!_

We're all silent for a long time. I stare at the paper, and then up at Katniss, really confused.

"Wait…" Prim begins. "Now I have two nieces and a nephew?"

"Well I already knew." Johanna props her feet up on the coffee table.

"You're pregnant?" I ask. She smiles.

"Yes. You guys didn't notice my clothes have been extremely baggy? Why I haven't let you have a shower with me? Why I didn't let you look down when we were having sex? Why I've been crying? Eating weird? Getting pissed?"

"Twins though? You're not even showing."

I turn sideways and lift my shirt up and just pull it off.

I am showing.

I'm showing so much that I'm surprised they didn't notice. I'm showing so much.

"Shit!" Peeta drops his glass of water. "I can't believe I didn't notice!"

…s…

**This is gonna be fast**

Three months pass, I'm a dinosaur, I'm eight months, and we haven't told a soul in the family. We haven't called them.

Peeta refuses to let me call them. My doctor says it's normal and healthy to be premature and that she has never delivered anyone having twins that come at nine months.

I'm due on May 23rd, and it's the fifteenth and I'm on bed rest. Johanna and I are 25. The family called her to wish her a happy birthday and when she asked them 'What about Katniss' they said 'Who's Katniss'.

I cried for four hours after that, and I refused to let anyone into my bedroom.

They say their identical, too. Hallie can speak mini sentences, and she's starting to crawl a tiny bit, but that's it. Jo, Ann, Finn, Prim, Alex and Chase won't leave. "I'm not getting off this couch until your standing in a puddle of fucking water, Brainless." She stuffs her mouth with popcorn. I sit down on the couch.

"I'm such a fucking fat ass dinosaur hippo thing." I grumble. Peeta just sits down and massages my swollen ankles.

"Don't talk about yourself like that." He says.

I've successfully weaned Hallie off of my tits and onto the bottle.

"Me have baba?" she asks.

"I'll do it." I say.

"No you won't." Peeta says. I stand up anyways. Pain explodes through my stomach and it hurts worse than it did with Hal.

"Mama pee!" Hallie giggles, pointing at me.

"You just pissed yourself Brainless?" Johanna asks.

"No! This is not piss, this is water!" I shout at her.

"Pregnancy water?" She demands.

"What other water!" Finn shouts at her.

Things get chaotic. Prim starts Chase and Hallie and Alex gets the bags and Johanna and Annie get the last minute stuff and Finn runs for the car and Peeta lifts me up and chases after him.

PEETA'S POV

"Mama! Please call my Mama! Please Peeta!" Katniss begs.

"Katniss, they don't-" she grabs my hand with such a painful grip.

"Please!" she begs. "I won't push until my Mama is in the fucking room!" She screams at me.

I dial her mother immediately. "Hello?" her voice is bitter.

"Uh…um…Katniss is in labor…" I admit, knowing I'm on speaker phone. I can hear a ton of the girls burst into tears.

"We're on the way." She hangs up on me.

KATNISS'S POV

"Your nine centimeters dilated," My doctor announces. I clutch Peeta's hand because it hurts much worse than it should.

"I'm not pushing till my mom is here." I say. "I don't give a fuck if I'm twenty centimeters dilated I'M NOT PUSHING!" I scream.

"Peeta, call her mother." My doctor days. I dial Mrs. Everdeen.

"Please tell me you guys are coming! She's nine centimeters and refuses to push without you! She's having twins!" I say frantically.

"We're in the lobby but the bitch won't let me up!" she sounds angry and frustrated. I repeat what she just said to the doctor.

"What's her name?" he demands.

"Lillian Everdeen!" Katniss chokes out as she reaches for my hand again. "Peeta tell her to hurry the fuck up!" she crying now. Her other doctor pages the lobby.

"I need Lillian Everdeen up here NOW!" he shouts into the phone.

Two minutes later, Katniss's mother rushes into the room. Katniss starts apologizing a million miles a minute as Mrs. Everdeen introduces herself to the doctor who says that she can work with him and then checks how dilated Katniss is.

"Start pushing," Mrs. Everdeen says. She's still apologizing, screaming this time. We don't even have names picked out. The boy comes out first, and the other doctor washes his off as Katniss pushes out the girl, screaming how sorry she is. She silences though, when two baby's cries have filled the room. One baby, the boy, is placed in my arms, and the other baby, the girl, is placed in Katniss's arms. Mrs. Everdeen is silent as she stitches her up.

KATNISS'S POV

The actual doctor leaves. I stare at my baby girl. Mama changes the sheets, and kneels down next to me.

"Mama, I'm so sorry. Please don't hate me." I whisper.

"I can't hate you. I love you too much." She kisses my forehead. Peeta and I switch off. I hug her with one arm.

"Brennan," Peeta says randomly. Mama and I look up at him.

"What?" I ask.

"Brennan and Bailee." He says. "Brennan," he nods at the baby boy in my arms. "And Bailee. Spelt B-A-I-L-E-E." he announces "Brennan Ethan." He says. "And Bailee Lillian." He says. I smile.

"I love it." I grin. I scoot over and he sits down with me.

"Want me to go get someone?" Mama whispers.

"Everyone," Peeta says. Mama put on the underwear with the dino pad on me, kisses my head and then walks off.

Prim gets in first, and sets Hallie on my bed.

"Mama!" she screams.

"Shhh baby, you have to be quiet." I whisper. She crawls closer to me and Peeta and leans really close to Bailee.

"Hi." She whispers. I'm not going to speak to them until they speak to me.

"Hi." I whisper back.

I find that when your quite, she's quiet.

"What are their names?" Mrs. Mellark asks.

"Bailee and Brennan." I say curtly.

"So are you going to apologize?" Haymitch asks.

"Don't start this here." Peeta warns.


	22. Chapter 22

This is horrible.

I feel bad not paying attention to Hallie, and then I feel bad not paying attention to Brennan, and then Bailee.

So now, three days later, I'm nursing both of the babies at the same time, and Hall is laying on the crossed legs, asleep. Our families all made up, and I'm falling asleep.

Bailee unlatches, and I cover myself up. Peeta takes her and I hold Brennan. When he finishes, Peeta has Bailee asleep in my mother's arms. He burps Brennan and this his mother takes him. I'm so exhausted. I drift off, Hallie still asleep on my lap.

PEETA'S POV

She's completely drained every ounce of sleep out of her, and we're all doing what we can to help her. Now she's passed out on the couch, the blanket just barely covering her breast, which she forgot to cover up. I cover it for her and then cover her with the blanket.

Hal is going to be one, but she can't full crawl yet. She's getting there.

I lift Hallie and bring her to her bedroom and deliver her to her crib, and then I go downstairs and pick up Katniss and carry her up to bed, tucking her in and kissing her forehead.

"Peeta." She mumbles.

"Hmm baby?" I ask.

"Stay with me."

"Always." I whisper.

KATNISS'S POV

It's dark when I wake, and Peeta isn't here. My boobs have been completely refilled with milk and their aching because they need emptied. Brennan and Bailee better be starving. I get up and go downstairs.

"You need to eat dinner." Peeta hands me dinner, and even though I'm not hungry, I force myself to eat it. He takes my plate when I'm done.

"Mama." Hallie says. She struggles to crawl over to me, and I lift her up. She sits on my lap and leans back against my huge belly.

"Am I going to get back to size zero?" I ask Mama.

"Eventually." She says.

'When?" I demand.

"how long did it take last time?" she asks.

'Eight weeks." I reply.

"Then probably sixteen weeks." She says

Four months? It's going to take four months?

PEETA'S POV

This is not good. "Four months?" she asks. "I have to wait four months. I won't be zero again. Not until September."

"You still look beautiful." I assure her.

"Your just saying that. Only to please me." she says. I sigh heavily, because I'm not.

"Okay," I reply.

KATNISS'S POV

Forth of July rolls around. The twins are two months, Hallie is ten months. She can crawl easily now. We just go into the field out front with the kids and the rest of the family. Peeta and I each hold one of the twins as Hallie points out fireworks. It's adorable, and this is her first time ever seeing fireworks, and the look in her eyes is perfect.

The holidays are my faborite time of year, because the kids get excited, the family gets together, and it makes me realize how important family is. That if I didn't have them, I'd be nothing.

That my family is my life.

**Okay the epilogue is next because I'm seriously out of ideas **


	23. Chapter 23

**There will be a sequel **

"No Mama! No Daddy!" Hallie and Bailee cling to me, and Brennan clings to Peeta. Today is the first day of Kindergarten and all three of them burst into tears and cling to us. Hallie with her long hair, which got darker but is still blondish, and her mesmerizing blue eyes. She's five, and will be six in about two weeks. Then Bailee, Brennan's identical twin. She has long blond hair, all three having wavy hair. And she has blue eyes, but everything else is mine. She just turned five, obviously the same day as Brennan. Brennan has dark hair like mine, and gray eyes. He's got Peeta's face. They're all three hysterical, and I see the teacher watching from the doorway, and the other parents behind their children, watching us with smiles on their faces. I kneel down next to Peeta, down to their level.

"Listen, listen to me." I wipe all three of their tears away. "It's going to be okay. You all are going to be perfectly fine. Mrs. Hawthorne will make sure you three are safe and happy. You're going to color, and make friends! You're going to meet more people like Chase! You're going to make friends, right Daddy?" I ask.

"Right, listen, you guys are going to have so much fun. Mama and I will be right here when you're done, and you can come home! You're going to have fun."

"Promise?" Hallie sniffs and wipes her tears away.

"Now honey, would Mama and Daddy ever lie to you?" I whisper.

"Nope," she mumbles.

"Exactly. Now come on, give Mama and Daddy a kiss." I say. They each kiss all three of us on the lips and then get in line. Peeta and I wait behind them. When the teacher calls them inside, they pick up their lunch boxes, Hallie's being Princess Belle, Bailee's having Tinker Bell and Brennan having Scooby doo. They have matching backpacks with their lunch boxes and I put their name on the outside and the inside of all of them.

Gale moved to Vermont and I ran into him in the grocery store a couple of weeks ago. I didn't recognize him, or his wife and son until he said "Catnip?" I had all three with me, and when I saw him, I was shocked. He's here now, with Madge, taking their son, Justin to school. Chase is starting too, but he's in another class.

When the teacher leads them inside, all three wave at me and Peeta before the door shuts behind them.

"What if they need something? Did we get enough paper, I really should go and check-"

"Katniss, we have to let them go at some point. It's starting school, and I know it's hard, but it will all work out, I promise. Maybe it didn't work out as planned when we were kids, but that was then, and this is now. Life goes on, whether we go without it. They're going to grow up, and we're going to get older. We have to let them go to school darling." Peeta says. I allow him to pull me to the car and home.

**I know it's incredibly short, but the sequel is literally starting right up from here. **


End file.
